The Slumbering City
by Volpone
Summary: After she manages to tumble back into the Underground, Sarah finds the Labyrinth now nothing more than a crumbling, derelict ruin and the once fearsome Goblin King exists only as a legend. Or does he? J/S
1. Once Upon a Dream

Hello, folks! This is my first foray into Labydom, though I am a veteran of ff-dot-net. It would probably have safer to get my feet wet with a one-shot, but I live dangerously. So here we go! A chapter fic from a baby Labyrinth author. I'm going for modern Fairy Tale, with some throw back to Brothers Grimm. And those who are Grimm fans know the original stories are rather dark, and I plan on implementing that in this fic. Because, honestly, who doesn't like their Jareth a little (okay, a _lot_) evil? He's just sexy that way.

By the way, I don't own Labyrinth, it's sexy king, or it's champion. But I'm using them anyway! Hah! Come and get me interpol, I DARE you!

Enjoy the prologue, peeps.

* * *

**The Slumbering City**

_ Prologue_

_ Once Upon A Dream_

_ I know you_

_ I've walked with you once upon a dream_

_ I know you_

_ The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam_

_ Yes, I know it's true_

_ That visions are seldom all they seem_

_ But if I know you, I know what you'll do_

_ You'll love me at once_

_ The way you did once upon a dream_

Once Upon a Dream; Disney's Sleeping Beauty

* * *

Her lungs burned. Every time she inhaled it felt as if a hot knife were being stabbed right through her chest – and yet she continued to run.

It was not the quick, springing step of a distance runner. Sarah was not conserving her energy, she was not taking even breaths, she was not visualizing the finish line. This was the desperate gate of the possessed: stumbling forward through exhaustion, ignoring the pain in order to obey the one, all consuming need that drove her.

_Search! Find! Awaken!_

Her footsteps echoed against crumbling cobblestone as she ran down the twisting corridors of the Labyrinth. Her heart was in her throat and her breath was coming in shallow, painful gasps. Still, she continued onward, unable to slow because if she did then she would – would... would what? What was she searching for? _Why _was she running as if demons were on her tail?

Sarah paused, green eyes narrowing in confusion as she finally slowed and took a look around herself. She was just beyond Hoggle's gate, in the straightaway corridor with the hidden turns. But she had already run this way, hadn't she? She had championed the Labyrinth years ago. Toby was safe. What was she doing back here? She couldn't even remember how she had gotten in.

The dark-haired woman leaned back against the glistening stone wall, the sense of urgency fading as she fought to regain her breath. Her head was pounding and she reached up to rub her temples, pushing back the long hair that clung to her sweat-dampened brow. This hall was disorienting – each end stretching as far as the eye could see, seemingly bereft of any turns or angles. She knew better, of course, but still found herself shutting her eyes against an odd feeling of vertigo.

After several moments, Sarah straightened and faced the wall opposite her. She knew if she walked forward, she would find a turn into the main halls of the Labyrinth, but something kept her from stepping closer. Something felt wrong.

Frowning, Sarah looked to her left, then right. There were still tree branches blocking the pathway and rotting where they had fallen, but something... else... was off... She looked up again, examining the wall more closely. The stones glittered eerily – as they had before – but this time she realized they were bare of the odd eye-ball lichen that adorned the cracks before.

In fact, now that she thought about it, in all the time she had been running (hours, she was _sure_) she had not seen any of the strange eye-ball plant. For some reason this made her uneasy, because she remembered the last time she had run the Labyrinth they had been everywhere, watching her, the eye stalks all turning to stare at her in unison.

Sarah took a deep breath – and the sound was so sharp in the utter silence that it startled her.

That was another thing, it was quieter than she remembered. But underlying the silence was a throbbing that she had first mistaken as her own heartbeat. It was more like a vibration than a sound, and it tickled something in her mind. When she focused on it, it sounded... almost...

_Seek!_

That sense of urgency was building in her again. She stood up straighter, looking uncertainly at the wall before her. She felt as if she should be searching for something...

_Find!_

But who? She had already done this. She had won. Toby was at home, probably curled up with Lancelot and dreaming of sugar plums at this very moment. So why did she feel compelled to continue? Who was she searching for?

Unbidden, an image rose in her mind. A tall, slender figure with wild frost-blonde hair and a cruel smile on his sensuous lips. Something glittered in his hand and he held it toward her.

_"This is not an ordinary gift for an ordinary girl."_

The image twisted, changing into something darker. They faced each other in the Escher room again, this time his mismatched eyes were wounded and his finger pointed straight at her, accusing.

_"How you've turned my world, you precious thing."_

Sarah shook her head, trying to dispel the haunting images of the Goblin King. The sea of questions swelled within her once more. What was going on? Why was she here? What was she looking for?

She tilted her head back, running her hands through her hair and squinting upward. She pushed up onto her toes, and there, over the wall and in the distance she could _just _make out the spire of the Castle beyond the Goblin City.

_Awaken!_

"Jareth," She murmured.

The Labyrinth lurched around her and Sarah was suddenly thrown to the ground. She looked up, frightened green eyes searching for the cause as the stones shook beneath her. The thrumming that had been little more than a tickle moments ago had now crescendoed into a deafening, angry roar.

"**SARAH!"**

She bolted up in her bed, tangled in the sheets and scrambling toward the head board. When she finally came to her senses she was clinging for dear life to the heavy wooden frame, trembling. Her hair was stuck to her sweaty cheek and her heart was pounding in chest. Her ears were ringing.

At breakfast, when Toby asked her why she had screamed in the night, Sarah had been unable to answer.

She honestly couldn't remember.

* * *

That's the preamble. Did you read? Want to see more? Then review, biatches! And thank you in advance. :)


	2. Down the Rabbit Hole

And finally, we get to meat and potatoes of this fic. Prologues are fun, but now you can start taking this story seriously. Or, you know, as seriously as you can take a fanfic. Let me just say, I _hate _writing introductory chapters. When I get story ideas, I get ideas for the middle and the end, never the beginning, so it's always a fight to set the story up and get the first chapter or two down. But I did it! Yeah, I kick _SO MUCH _plot bunny ass!

Ahem.

Yeah, so, same rules apply. I don't own Labyrinth or any of its awesome characters (though I STILL pray ever night that Jareth will one day be my bitch boy) but I'm using them anyway. That's right. WITHOUT permission. Didn't you hear me? I TOLD you I live dangerously.

Alright, enough with the talky-talky. On with the fic!

* * *

**The Slumbering City**

Chapter one

Down the Rabbit Hole

_...and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge. _

_In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again. _

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Murky daylight filtered in through the slitted windows, washing the gray stones in an eerie half-light. The sense of urgency was there again, though it was settled low in her belly this time, not urging her to run exactly, but keeping her pace brisk. _Stay on track_ her mind (was it her mind?) whispered.

Her footsteps gave out a hallow echo each time they hit the flagstone, the steady sound comforting even if somewhat deafening in the suffocating silence.

And _why _was it so quiet? It put Sarah on edge. The silence, the utter _stillness _she had encountered... it was wrong. It was all wrong. Where were the rambunctious, mischievous little goblins? In all this time she had been wandering (hours, she was _sure_) why had no one and nothing tried to stop her? Where were the obstacles? The trials?

Where was the gloating, teasing Goblin King?

And why was it so damn _cold_? The young woman wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. She hadn't recalled the halls of the Castle being so chill before, but this time there was a definite bite in the air. If she looked, she thought that she might be able to see the fog of her breath. But she didn't look. She did not have the luxury of time to focus on such trivialities. She was – what was she doing?

_Seek!_

She had been navigating the halls of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City for what felt like days. Her legs ached, her hair was a tangled mass that kept falling in her eyes. Frustrated, Sarah pushed the dark locks back again, a growl on her pretty lips. Where was she going?

Turning another corner, Sarah was dazzled by a bright light. She stopped for a moment, blinking, her green eyes trying to adjust to the sight of unfiltered daylight. At the end of this hall was an archway, and through it she could make out something green. What was at the end? A terrace?

The dull throbbing in the air that had been following her since Hoggle's Gate suddenly became sharper. For a moment it crescendoed into a deafening thrum – she held her hands over her ears and fell back against the wall, her stomach turning – and then it was gone.

Completely gone. Silence – _true silence –_ settled over her shoulders like a heavy cloak.

Slowly, her hands dropped from her ears and she stayed where she was, her back against the chilly stone and her breath coming in short, nervous gasps. What was --

The sound tinkling bells behind her nearly caused her to jump out of her skin. She gripped the wall, fingers scrabbling at the crevices as the hall spinned. Once. Twice. Sarah closed her eyes, the bells fading out, only to replaced by a very distant, quiet melody.

"_As the world falls down..."_

She looked up sharply, green eyes open once more and focused intently on the floor. She had heard this before.

But the sound was a phantom – so soft, so quiet, she wasn't sure if she was even hearing it at all or if the ringing in her ears was only mimicking a melody that had haunted her dreams for years.

_Find!_

The young woman tried to pinpoint the source, but the music seemed to be all around her. It enveloped her in a gentle warmth that banished the freeze of stone hallways. It beckoned her toward the archway and into whatever lay beyond.

Gathering her thoughts, the champion pushed forward.

The light dazzled her again as she walked through the archway and she paused. The flagstone have given way to something softer under her feet and there was the distinct smell of _green_. Once her eyes had adjusted to the midday light, Sarah found herself in a garden.

Rosebushes lined the pathway that twisted and turned and curled back on itself like a miniature version of the hedge maze. In the center of the garden stood a marble fountain of a mermaid sitting on a rock, her long tail curled sensually around the white stone. In her right hand she held a mirror, and in her left was a seashell from which water spilled into the pool around her. It was a beautiful, delicate work of art and it was a pity that she could not stop to admire it further.

The figure who stood before it was altogether distracting.

Though she could only see his back, Sarah knew full well who it was. The frost blond hair was wilder than she remembered, falling in silky, shining strands down his back and sticking out at roguish angles around his head.

The shock of seeing him again stopped her in her tracks and halted her breath in her throat. Green eyes scanned the figure warily, but he made no move to show that he had heard her approach. Sarah took a moment to examine him more thoroughly. He was dressed as dashingly rakish as he had the first time, though this was an outfit she did not remember. A dove gray jacket embroidered with tiny crystals sparkled in the sun, and fitted over heather gray britches. His boots were leather, a shade darker than his pants, matching the gloves he wore on hands fisted tightly behind his back.

She noticed his shoulders were hunched, and something about his posture seemed... fatigued. And the air around him seemed slightly fuzzy... darker than the rest of the garden. Faded.

_Awaken!_

The Labyrinth throbbed and lurched slightly and Sarah stumbled forward, the sound of her footsteps alerting the brooding king. When the young woman regained her balance and looked up, she found the Goblin King was now facing her, mismatched eyes hooded as he gazed at her.

If she had been expecting a reaction this was not what she would have imagined. Anger, surprise, _something. _Something explosive. Not this.

He did not look particularly happy to see her, but neither did he look surprised or even angry. If anything, the expression on his handsome face was... _resigned_.

Jareth straightened (He _had _been hunching his shoulders) and took a step toward her, his eyes still on hers. Now that she could see his face, he really _did_ look tired. His eyes had the bruised color of sleeplessness and his steps seemed weary.

"Will I have no peace from you even here, precious thing?" His voice was smooth, soft even in the stillness and rumbled pleasantly through her. She shivered, but her brow still furrowed. What was he talking about?

Something in her reaction seemed to trigger the Goblin King's suspicion and he took another step forward, his eyes narrowing. The air around him brightened, sharpened, and he slid into clear focus, his face all angles and his eyes bright and intent on her face.

They stared at each other for a moment, the thrumming of the Labyrinth filling the silence between them.

_Awaken!_

Slowly, a smirk spread across Jareth's pale lips. It was not entirely pleasant, and revealed rather too much sharp, white teeth for Sarah's liking. She took a step back, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. She wanted to say something, but the air constricted in her throat, rendering her mute before the glittering King.

"Why, princess, it really _is _you!" his eyes flashed as he took another step forward. He held out his hand, proffering a shining, perfect crystal. His smirk widened.

"And how are you enjoying my Labyrinth, Sarah?" Jareth purred.

_I'm not, _she wanted to say. _It's too quiet. Too cold. Too... wrong._ But the words wouldn't come. She glared at him, green eyes bright and fierce as his own smoldering gaze. _And there's something wrong with you, too, for not seeing it!_

He took another step forward, laughing, his eyes gleaming triumphantly.

"Well, Sarah? Precious?" He hissed menacingly, reaching toward her.

Again, the Labyrinth lurched around her, sending her stumbling backward. Jareth cursed and reached for her again, losing his smirk.

"Not this time," he muttered. "Not this time, princess," he threw the crystal toward her and Sarah held up her hands and stumbled again as the ground trembled beneath her. The crystal shattered before it reached her. The air around her was dimming, and she could feel herself slipping, fading.

Jareth lunged at her, his eyes bright with rage. For a moment she felt the whisper of soft leather against her arm, then his hand seemed to slide right through her. Their eyes met for a split second, frustration written on the Goblin King's face. Then her vision dimmed and she felt herself falling, but she could not escape the angry, defeated roar that followed her.

**"SARAH!"**

* * *

Sarah's eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly, only to be stopped as the seatbelt tightened against her chest. She panted, looking dazedly around and trying to orient herself. The car rattled over a bump and she gripped the door handle, finally sitting back and catching her breath.

The radio was playing softly and Karen and her father chatted in the front seats. Toby was next to her, watching her with curious blue eyes.

"Did you have another nightmare?" He asked.

Sarah sighed and reached over, ruffling her brother's hair. Toby didn't try to doge her hand as he normally did ("I'm too old for that stuff!"), but sat there, watching her worriedly.

"Yeah," She finally answered, smoothing his hair back again.

"The same one as last night?"

Sarah frowned. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I can't remember what it was about."

"Monsters?" Toby supplied. She grinned and sat back more comfortably.

"Probably. Big green, slimy ones with jagged teeth to crush your bones." She said ominously. Toby giggled.

"Sounds scary," He agreed, smiling. Sarah smiled back, watching as he turned to look out the window. Once he was distracted, she relaxed a bit, frowning and staring at the passing scenery.

The trees were budding, many covered in the tiny, white flowers that signaled spring was in the air. The warmth of the day, however, implied that summer was fast approaching. She ran a hand through her hair, wincing as the dark, slightly sweat-dampened strands stuck to her fingers. She wished Karen would turn the air conditioning up. Muttering to herself, she fished a rubber band from her pocket and pulled her hair back into a low pony-tail.

"Look! There it is!" Toby cried in excitement, tapping the window for emphasis as he pointed to the brightly colored flags in the distance. "You can even see the top of the ferris wheel from here!"

Sarah leaned over to his side of the car, looking over her brother's shoulder and smiling at his excitement.

"That's a pretty big ferris wheel. Are you sure you can handle it?" She teased. Toby turned his blue eyes toward her, laughing.

"Yeah, I can. I'm not a baby anymore, Sarah. This year, I'm tall enough for all the rides!"

She reached out to ruffle his hair again. He would always be little in her eyes. After the Labyrinth, it was difficult to see him as anything other than her kid brother, the little blond toddler in the striped onsey who needed her protection.

Her dodged her hand, this time slightly annoyed. "Would you _stop_? Quit treating me like a little kid! It's embarrassing." He frowned.

Sarah laughed and held her hands up in placating gesture. "Sorry, sorry."

Toby folded his arms across his chest. "You'd _better _not do that at the carnival."

She grinned at him, but promised, "I won't."

The car bounced as they entered the gravel parking lot and Toby twitched in nervous excitement in his seat. The car had barely rolled to a stop before he was flying out the door and urging them all to hurry up. Sarah winced as she stepped out of the car and reached down, rubbing her calf. Her legs ached like she had just run a marathon.

Her father, pulling a backpack from the trunk, smiled.

"Now that you're older, I guess the back seat is a little cramped."

Sarah shook her head, bouncing slightly on her toes to relieve the aching muscles. "No, no, I think I just kept them in one place for too long --"

Karen clapped her hands, calling the attention of her (in her opinion) rowdy brood. "Okay, everyone. I've got the tickets, your father has water and snacks --"

"I want a funnel cake!" Toby interrupted. Karen frowned.

"Absolutely not, those things are horrible for you," she sniffed. "I have plenty of granola bars in the bag."

Toby's face fell and Sarah nudged him, whispering conspiratorially, "I'll get you funnel cake, Tobe," she winked. He giggled and winked back.

"Right," Karen continued. "We have maps, too, because this year the carnival is even bigger. Let's all try to stick together."

Sarah rolled her eyes. Even at twenty-two, Karen insisted on treating her the same way she treated her son – like a child. Most of her classmates had gone to Cancun for their spring break. They had even tried to talk Sarah into joining them. At this point, she almost wished she _had _gone – the beach sounded a lot more appealing when she was being spoken down to.

Toby slipped his sticky baby hand into hers and smiled up with wide blue eyes. "Sarah, will you ride the ferris wheel with me?"

Her heart melted and she smiled back down at him. "Sure thing, kiddo!" She reached down to pat his head, but he pulled away with annoyed look.

"Sarah, you _promised_!"

She laughed. "I know, I know, I'm sorry!"

Grumbling, he took her hand again, pulling her in the direction of the turnstiles.

They rode the tilt-a-whirl, the swings, the barrel spinner, and the roller coaster. By four o'clock, they had ridden pretty much everything except the ferris wheel – and, of course, the rides in the "baby" section. Toby insisted that he was much too old for the caterpillar coaster and the teacups.

Sarah and her family sat at one of the picnic tables on the end of the midway, most munching on granola bars – except for Toby, who was digging into the funnel cake Sarah had promised him, and getting powdered sugar _everywhere_. Karen looked on with thinly veiled disapproval.

"It was very nice of you to get your brother a treat, Sarah," She said, "But I _did _tell him he couldn't have one of those. Just look how greasy they are! His stomach will be upset later."

Sarah rolled her eyes, her chocolate chip granola bar crumbling in her hand. "It's a carnival, Karen. You can't come to the carnival and _not _eat a funnel cake. I think it's written in the carny rule book."

Toby giggled and she grinned at him. Her father patted his wife on the shoulder. "Just let them have their fun, honey. That's what we came here for isn't it?"

Karen sat back, fumbling with her water bottle. "I suppose," She sighed.

The spent the next couple of hours in the midway, playing games and trying to win prizes. Toby wanted a stuffed dragon and Sarah spent twenty dollars trying to win it for him.

"Seriously, I could have _bought _this thing for him by now," she grumbled, handing another dollar to the attendant. He forked over three more baseballs.

"Yay! You can do it, Sarah!" Toby cheered. He'd said the same thing each time she bought a new round of baseballs and it hadn't helped yet. Maybe the twenty-first time would be a charm.

She cocked her arm back, squinting at the target. If she could just get the ball through the center hole, then that damn dragon would be _hers_. A faint thrumming filled her ears, but she shook her head, concentrating.

Green eyes narrowed in determination, she let fly. Bells and whistles went off as her ball flew through the target. Her arm dropped in surprise. Well, what do you know, the twenty-first time _had _been a charm!

Grinning triumphantly, she accepted the dragon gave it a cursory pat on the head before handing it off to Toby, who hugged it close and laughed.

"You're awesome, Sarah!"

The young woman preened playfully. "I am, aren't I? Well, what do you think? Are you ready to conquer that mountain?" She pointed to ferris wheel.

She had tried to get him to ride it earlier, but Toby had wanted to wait. He said it would be better to ride it when it was dark, and the lights were up on all the rides.

The sun had almost set now, washing the carnival in a weak, orange haze. The lights had come up on all games and rides at last. Toby grinned, taking her hand.

They found Karen and her father at one of the other booths, trying to win goldfish by tossing ping-pongs into fishbowls. Apparently it was a lot harder than it looked. They were happy to join them for one last ride.

This late in the day the lines had died down a bit and it only took a few minutes for Sarah and Toby to be seated in one of the cars, a bar strapped down over their thighs. The young woman leaned back in her seat, her stomach doing nervous little flips. The truth was, she had never been a fan of ferris wheels.

Toby was exuberant, leaning forward and tapping his feet against the footrest as their car began to rise. They went higher and higher, Toby shouting and pointing out all the sights: "Hey, look, there's the tilt-a-whirl, Sarah! And the funnel cake stand, I can still smell them up here, can't you?"

"Yeah," She replied weakly, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, sit back an relax, Tobe, you don't have to lean forward like that."

He shrugged her hand off and ignored her, laughing delightedly when their car stopped at the top position.

"Wow, you can see _everything _from here!" He crowed. "I bet you can even see our house!"

Sarah smiled, then gripped the hand bar as her brother leaned way over the front of the car, rocking their rickety carriage in his excitement to point something out.

"Look! Look! There's the Labyrinth!"

Sarah's heart jumped into her throat and she quickly squinted out into the darkness. Surely Toby wasn't talking about... He couldn't possibly remember...

"We have to do that before we go! Sam says it's really cool to do the Labyrinth at night."

Sarah followed his pointing finger, her eyes finally settling something at the other end of the carnival. She could finally make out what she had first assumed to be a garden. There were bushes with flowers in early bloom, she could smell the roses even from here. But beyond that she saw tall shrubs that had been close cut to mimic walls, and a twisting path wound through them. It was not a garden but a hedge maze.

"Who's Sam?" She asked dazedly.

"A kid in my class, he's been here three times already." Toby leaned down to shout at Karen and her father in the car below them. "I wanna do the Labyrinth next!"

As their car rocked wildly, Sarah grabbed Toby's shirt and hauled him back into seat beside her.

"Heeeey," he wined.

"You're scaring me, kiddo," she gripped his arm tightly. "Don't do that again."

Their ride came to a stop several minutes later and Toby was already toeing the ground impatiently as Sarah climbed from the car.

"Come on," he urged. "It's almost closing time, we have to get to the Labyrinth if we're going to do it tonight!"

"I'm coming!" Sarah insisted, smiling as her brother took her hand and nearly dragged her to the other end of the carnival. They stood in line for tickets, Toby shifting his weight anxiously from foot to foot. Karen and Robert joined them a few minutes later, Karen eying the hedges distrustfully.

"Those things look like their full of bugs and thorns. Are you sure it's safe?"

"Safer than any of the rides, that's for sure," her father muttered. Silently, Sarah agreed with him.

"_Mom_, we _have _to go," Toby insisted. "_All _the kids in my class have done it!"

Karen frowned. "Well... Alright then. What do we have to do? Just find our way through?"

Toby smiled gleefully, pointing at the maze while their father bought tickets.

"It's a race," he explained, pointing to the two entrances. "You try to solve it before the other person does. It's me and Sarah against you and dad!"

Sarah grinned and poked Toby in the shoulder. "You won't regret choosing me as a partner," she vowed.

He turned toward her, blue eyes bright with excitement. "Are you good at solving mazes?"

"Oh yeah, I'm a pro." She smirked. Her brother smirked back.

Robert returned with tickets, passing them out. "We're lucky," he winked, "We get to be the last team that goes through tonight."

"Awesome!" Toby laughed, grabbing Sarah's hand. "Come on, let's go!" He took off, dragging her with him.

"Hey," their father called, laughing, "That's cheating!"

Toby glanced back over his shoulder, sticking his tongue out. "The last one out is a slimy green monster!" With that, he pulled Sarah through the entrance of their side of the labyrinth.

The first thing she noticed was that the hedge had a very strong smell. It was the smell of springtime, of green. It reminded her of something... something that she couldn't put her finger on, but set her teeth on edge.

The second thing she noticed was that the lighting within the maze was very dim. Every ten feet or so there was a lamp set up against the hedge wall, but the bulbs were dusky, and long shadows stretched down the halls between each flickering pool of light.

"Creepy," Toby voiced her thoughts, but walked forward eagerly. Sarah followed close behind, frowning.

Toby took the first left, his pace quick and energetic. Sarah continued to follow, her legs suddenly feeling leaden. She did her best to keep up with her little brother's excited steps. They navigated twists and turns in silence, Sarah feeling nervous as the sounds of the Carnival became duller and more distant.

They turned again, winding deeper into the maze. Toby finally spoke up.

"Hey, you know what this reminds me of? Remember that story you told me? About, uh... the monster in the center of the maze?"

Sarah smiled and nodded. "The story of the Minotaur."

"Yeah! Wouldn't it be cool if there was a Minotaur at the center?"

The young woman frowned and blinked down at her brother. "Uh... No... That would be scary. The Minotaur eats people, remember?"

"We could fight it," Toby grinned, "Just like the hero in the story!"

"Well, Theseus had help, you know. He was prepared to fight a monster. We --"

"Hey, did you see that?" Toby stopped, peering into the shadows before them. Sarah paused behind him.

"What?"

"I saw someone. They went around that corner," he pointed. Sarah frowned and shook her head.

"I don't think so. We're the only ones on this side of the maze."

"I _saw _someone, though. Hey, do you think it was dad?"

"No, Tobe, Dad's on the other --"

Toby took off, rounding the corner before she could blink.

"Hey, you cheater! No fair coming over to our side!" He called.

"Toby, wait!" She took off after him, turning the corner just in time to see her brother take another bend. "Toby!" She shouted, running down the hall and turning right, hearing her brother's footsteps but unable to see him in the gloom.

"Wait up, kiddo!" She called, stumbling down he corridor. Why did her legs suddenly feel so heavy? "Tobe," She panted, jogging through the shadows. She came to a fork in the road and paused, listening. She could still hear a child's footsteps.

"Come on, Sarah," She heard Toby cry in the distance, "They're gonna win!"

Disoriented, Sarah slowly spun in place. The sound of her brother's voice seemed to resonate all around her, it was impossible to tell from which direction it came.

"I'm coming!" She cried, taking the left-handed path. She ran, her stomach flipping nervously as she passed through shadow after shadow. The sounds of the carnival had completely faded, the only sounds she could hear were her own harsh breaths and the throb of her heartbeat. At least she thought it was her heartbeat.

A rustle at the end of the hall caught her attention and she narrowed her eyes, pushing herself to move faster. "Toby?" She tried, her voice breathless.

But the path came to a dead end. Sarah stopped, panting, her hands dropping to her knees as she came to rest in a murky pool of light.

She frowned, staring at the wall. She _knew _she had heard something down here. What was going on? She straightened, taking a step closer to the hedge wall. A chill evening breeze passed by silently, ruffling her hair and sending the strands that had escaped her pony tail into her eyes. Frustrated, Sarah pushed them back, green eyes narrowing.

The wall was cast in shadow, but there was there was an area darker than the rest. Frowning, the curious young woman dropped to her knees to investigate. What she found appeared to be a crawlspace to, she assumed, the other side of the labyrinth. She peered into the darkness, squinting. There was a dim light several feet away.

"A shortcut?" She asked herself, grinning. She hunched down, laying her palms against the cool dirt as she crawled forward. The space was tight, even for her slight frame, and she felt the hedge scratch along her sides as she pushed her way into the hole.

She heard a patter of footsteps on the other side and looked up, trying to pull herself through the crawlspace faster. "Toby?"

The thrumming had started again and she shook her head. Her ears were ringing. It sound almost like... Tinkling bells.

The ground beneath her suddenly gave way and she felt herself sinking into the soft dirt. She screamed, her hands scrabbling at the hedges on both sides, trying to find a hold even as she slipped further down the sinkhole. She slid through the dirt and suddenly there was darkness. Her stomach flipped as she tumbled downward. She opened her mouth to scream again, but the sound was ripped from her throat.

_As the world falls down_, she thought crazily, kicking and reaching for something, anything to hold onto.

She landed with bone-crushing force on what felt like concrete. Her breath was knocked out of her and she shut her eyes in pain as every nerve in her body screamed.

Several moments passed before her breath returned in slow, painful gasps and her eyes fluttered open. She tunnel visioned, green eyes staring blearily ahead at what appeared to be a glittering stone wall.

Her heart throbbed in her ears – except her heart had stopped, hadn't it? So it must be somebody else's heartbeat.

_Welcome Back, Sarah._

The wall – why was it so _familiar_ – dimmed before her. Pained green eyes closed with a whimper and breath became shallow.

Quietly, the champion blacked out.

* * *

Woo-hoo! That was a doozy for me to write. By the way, this is my first time using dream sequences and I _love_ it. Good thing, I guess, because they're going to be happening a lot in this story.

By the way, you'll notice that I opened the chapter with a quote from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I'm a HUGE Carroll fan. I'll be getting a lot of inspiration from him.

Thank you, those of you who reviewed the last chapter! I'm going to answer those, seriously. Right after I post this chapter.

Anyhoo, let's get to the REAL reason I write fanfiction: for the reviews! So if you read, if you want more, if you favorited or put this story on alert, then REVIEW you sons of monkeys!

And thank you in advance. :D


	3. Among the Ruins

Ahoy there! Yes, I know. It's been a year. I was BUSY. Anyway, I can promise regular updates from here on out. Please enjoy the second chapter and remember: Reviews fuel the flames of the authoress!

* * *

**The Slumbering City**

Chapter Two

Among the Ruins

_Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went down to look about her and to wonder what was going to happen next. _

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

It was odd, because she recalled having this dream before. But the last time she had been here, in the dark, she had been wrapped in despair and that sinking, desperate feeling of _alone_. A thick, impenetrable veil of twilight had settled over her, blinding the young woman to her surroundings and adding another layer of fear. The stone beneath her had been frigid, the cold seeping through her clothes and into her skin, giving the sluggish feeling of lethargy to her limbs. There was a heavy quiet muffling out all sounds except for that of something, somewhere, dripping rhythmically against the flagstone and the harsh, strangled sound of her own panicked breath.

An icy chill had crept into her bones that had nothing to do with the damp stones beneath her. This was the ague of fear. She had trembled, cold sweat trickling down her spine as she had huddled against the wall.

_Alone_, she had realized, _and no one will find me!_

After all, the Oubliette (as Hoggle had told her) was a place you put someone to forget about them. And she had been forgotten. Abandoned. Just like the night when Linda – beautiful, selfish Linda – had left. She had abandoned her family and her little girl and had not looked back and Sarah was alone now just as she had been then only this was so much worse.

Everyone, _everyone_ had forgotten all about her, trapped in this vacuum, in the dark, _alone_.

She always woke up from that particular nightmare with her heart in her throat, wide-eyed and stricken. The young woman would catch her breath slowly, realizing that despite the darkness of her room she _could_ see and it had been a dream. Just a dream. The Oubliette wasn't real, just a place that existed in her mind, a culmination of her childhood fears.

Just a dream.

Just a dream.

The rest of the night was usually sleepless, spent huddled under the protection of her blankets until the first rosy fingers of morning peeped through her curtains.

For several months after she had solved the Labyrinth Sarah had, for the first time in her life, a series of recurring dreams. The hectic life she had begun when she started college – the classes, the part-time job of waitressing, the late night, last minute essays, the early morning cram sessions – had thrown her whole sleeping pattern way out of whack and the dreams (recurring and otherwise) had stopped.

And yet, for one heart-stopping moment, Sarah was afraid she had suddenly found herself thrown head-first into the dream that had troubled her most.

Darkness, so heavy that it was corporeal, had twined around her, wrapping around her body like a cool blanket of night. The quiet had settled in, too, and for once there was not the consistent, wet sound of water hitting stone. Fear, too, was absent this time, and it's place was a certain sense of calm. As if sensory deprivation was somehow cathartic.

Sarah allowed herself to relax, releasing a shallow sigh (something told her that deep breaths involved pain – but why would that be?). This was not the oubliette dream. This was something different – something much more pleasant. She had not been abandoned, there was no fear of _alone_ because she _wasn't_ alone. There was something here with her. Around her. The entire space – wherever she was – was a _presence_.

She wanted to curl up here, in this safe place, in this womb (because that's what is was, wasn't it?) forever. If only the bells would stop!

Some time ago, when she had first become _aware_ in the darkness and had twined the silence around her, Sarah had felt a gentle pulse in the atmosphere. As time passed – seconds? Hours? Days? Time had no meaning in this place – the pulse began to intensify. She ignored it, because she was content where she was and the pulse, the thrumming which had now evolved into the soft tinkling of bells, wanted something from her.

She frowned in the darkness. _Leave me be_, she thought. _I have nothing to give you._

_Not true. Not true. _The bells rang.

Sarah began to shift restlessly, wanting to shake the presence away. _Pain_, she remembered, halting her movements and taking a shallow breath. The tinkling bells continued, jingling around and trying to stir her. The dark-haired young woman clung stubbornly to the darkness, wishing she could swat the presence away, as though it were some irksome gnat.

_Leave me be_, she groused.

_You cannot stay any longer. You must wake._ It was insistent, the bells beginning to chime a bit louder, sounding a little closer. Still, Sarah resisted, closing her ears to voice as best she could and trying to bury herself back into the comfort of the quiet dark.

_You must wake. _A chill began to creep in around her -- not bone-numbing or painful. But jarring, still. The champion grit her teeth, finally loosening her hold on the midnight around her.

_Why can't I just stay here? _She asked plaintively, beginning to feel a dull pain in her chest.

_You must wake. You must wake because he will not. _A brilliant light pierced the gloom and Sarah was blinded. The sound of the bells began to dim, as did the comforting thrum of the thing that was with her.

_Wait! _She tried one last time, desperate. But the bells were gone. The warmth was gone. All that was left was the brilliance and the cold and the pain. And before she could draw another breath, she was thrust forward into the blinding light.

* * *

Oh, it _hurt_.

Sarah groaned, rolling onto her back and wheezing in pain. Her chest. Her _head_...! Green eyes blinked slowly open, staring dazedly up at an orange sky.

"Wh... What?" She croaked, blinking again, vision clearing. She sat up with whimper, closing her eyes tightly as her head throbbed and her vision swam. Why did she feel as though she had just swan-dived into a pool of concrete? Everything hurt! Reaching up to rub her forehead, Sarah opened her eyes once more. Where was she? This place certainly _felt _familiar but... Her thoughts trailed off as she looked to right, green eyes settling on a glittering stone wall.

She froze. Everything around her faded as she stared, even the pain seemed to dull. She _knew _that wall. Even more importantly, she knew what that wall meant.

The Labyrinth.

It loomed silently before her. The glistening stones jutted up from the sands, stretching upward to the darkening sky, looking much as it had the first time she'd seen it. But immediately she realized that something was off.

It was not the Labyrinth she remembered. Then, it had looked ancient, with it's dark stains and crumbling stones. Now, its very _walls_ were crumbling. In several places it appeared to have collapsed.

Furthermore, where it had been intimidating before, it was now... frightening. The deep shadows that it cast in twilight made it look haunted, and Sarah felt a shiver work it's way down her spine.

Slowly, she got to her feet, wincing. Sand spilled from her clothes and she reached down, brushing more of it from her thighs. Her eyes stayed fixed on the silent ruins before her, wondering _why_. Why did it look so... old? Abandoned? It had only been seven years she'd been here last, but the Labyrinth before her looked as though it had seen a thousand more in her absence.

"What happened here?" She asked aloud. This Labyrinth was a ghost of its former glory. Anyone who did not know what it once was – what stood for or what had dwelled within it – would look upon it and see... rubble. Ruins.

Slowly, she paced along the wall, reaching out one trembling hand to trail her fingers along the chilly stones. Her green eyes darkened and narrowed thoughtfully.

What was she _doing_ here, anyway? She certainly hadn't wished anyone away. Since she had championed the Labyrinth, Sarah had not even allowed the words "I wish" to pass her lips. She had learned. Learned that the words invited trouble. So _why_...

Sarah's heart lurched and her pace suddenly quickened. . Hoggle. Hoggle would know! The dark-haired woman limped alongside the wall. Hoggle could tell her why she was here, what was going on.

... Even if he couldn't, he would be a familiar face. _This_ labyrinth was a stranger to her, and in the face of it she longed for some familiarity. She needed to find the gate.

* * *

If she had been in pain before, then she had just reached a whole other level. Hours of trudging through sand had made her legs sore. Each step made her body ache and Sarah had to grind her teeth to keep from whimpering.

She seemed to be getting no where and, even more disturbing, the sky above her remained perpetually in the orange and purple hues of twilight. The light was dim, but growing no dimmer. The moon, which was huge and pale and much closer than she remembered it being the first time, stayed static in the sky. The day was not advancing. Time, literally, was standing still.

Sarah, however, was _not_. Stubbornly, she continued to move forward, an angry frown on her face. Two hours of forcing herself to walk through sand in the gloomy shadows of the ruined Labyrinth had turned her mood quite sour.

_I'm sure his majesty is having a laugh_, she thought angrily, scrabbling along. _This has to be some sort of sick joke on his part!_

A noise in the distance distracted her and she looked up, going still. She listened close, hearing it again – voices. Green eyes lighting up, she heaved herself forward.

"Hoggle?" She called eagerly, stumbling through the sand. "Is that you?" She did not wait for an answer but pushed her tired body forward, angling toward the voices. Before her, several parts of the wall had fallen forward, creating a mound of glittering stone and sand. She angled around it, grinning and calling out again.

"Hog-- Oh..."

Before her stood the gate-keeper's garden but, again, not as she remembered it. The pond was bone dry, a fine powdering of glimmering dust and sand lining it's bottom. The doors no longer stood there, guarding the entrance to the labyrinth. A great opening was all that remained, the dark shadows spilling forth from it. It was the gaping maw of the Labyrinth, and it loomed hungrily before her.

Sarah stared, her eyes wide and uncertain. Just... What the _hell_ was going on here?!

"Eh? Whuzzit?" A voice snuffled behind her. Whirling, Sarah began to wilt relief.

"_Finally, _Hoggle I --" She stopped again, staring at the strange creature before her. Who definitely _wasn't_ Hoggle.

Gleaming orange eyes stared curiously out at her from under a deep shadow. The creature stood with a hunch, though if it straightened, its head might reach her waist. A dark, hooded robe covered it's body, the cowl keeping its face from view. Only a pair of brown, furred hands could be seen, rubbing nervously together as it regarded her.

"Who're you, 'un?" It asked in a wheezing voice.

Sarah felt her breath leave her. Her knees went weak and she leaned back against the frigid stones behind her.

"Who... are _you_?" She whispered. The creature huffed, clearly annoyed. It tapped its claws together, canting his head to gaze at her from beneath the cowl.

"Asked you first, 'un," it pointed out. Reasonably enough.

"Er... Sarah." She replied, eying the creature distrustfully. Silence fell between the two for a moment, before it spoke again.

"Whuz a sarah, 'un?"

The young woman blinked, but before she could reply another voice was heard.

"Oi! Where's the firewood ye lazy skrunt?"

Both Sarah and Cowl looked up in time to see another creature approaching from behind a dune. This one was green, with a squished face that reminded Sarah of a goblin. His eyes were moon pale and pupiless, but she could see him pause at the sight of her.

"Whuzzit?" He huffed.

"It's a sarah!" Cowl spoke up excitedly, clicking his claws again.

"A what?" The green one blinked.

"My name," Sarah spoke up. "My name is Sarah."

"Eh," The green one looked her over nervously before dismissing her and turning to Cowl. "Firewood?"

The hooded creature bent, picking up the small pile of sticks at his feet. "Here! Has firewood here, 'un!" Green nodded, then turned and walked back in the direction he came from. Cowl turned and beckoned excitedly to the young woman, motioning for her to follow. Sarah hesitated.

She looked back toward the Labyrinth, the entrance gaping back at her. Shuddering, she pushed away from the wall and trailed after the hooded creature, determined to get answers from _someone_.

Around the sand dune there was a tiny, child sized caravan. It almost looked like a prop, but Sarah didn't need to see the chipped paint and warped wheels to know it wasn't. The hooded creature was several paces in front of her, and the green one was already standing beside the doors of the caravan, which swung open as they approached. A tiny female emerged, wiping her hands on her apron. Her face was squished like the green one, but her skin was milk white and she was bald. Her eyes were bright blue and sharp, and they instantly fixed on Sarah.

"It's a sarah!" Cowl said, dropping his pitiful bundle of sticks into a small pile of other thin, brittle sticks and what appeared to be old rags. The female regarded her suspiciously, but spoke to Cowl.

"Get that fire started, lazy bones!" She said sharply, and the hooded creature crouched down over the woodpile. Her blue eyes flickered back to the young woman, who stood uncomfortably on the edge of the campsite.

"You're bleeding," She grunted. Sarah blinked, surprised.

"Where?" She reached up, touching her forehead.

"No, no," The female growled, reaching into her pocked and fishing out a dingy looking handkerchief. Sarah frowned, but the woman motioned to her.

"Sit!" She insisted, pointing to where Cowl stood, beside a small fire. Slowly, Sarah moved toward the sickly looking flames, nearly collapsing as she folded her legs beneath her. The pale female shuffled over, rubbing the handkerchief over the young woman's mouth. Sarah gasped at the sharp pain and realized her lip must be split. The woman said nothing, but wiped the blood away and stood back, eying her critically before stomping away and back into the caravan.

Cowl sat down across the fire from her, his unnerving orange eyes fixed on her face. Green joined them shortly, sitting beside Cowl and whacking the hooded creature from time to time for no reason that Sarah could see.

The fire in the center of the small campsite flickered from an unhealthy greenish color to a dull orange – then back again. The flame seemed to be burning reluctantly, giving off a weak, flickering light, minimal warmth, and a thick acrid smoke that made Sarah's toes curl.

The female emerged from the caravan again, this time holding a pipe. She sat down beside Green, puffing and looking into the fire. A quiet settled over them and Sarah shifted uncomfortably.

"Um, could any of you tell me what happened to the Labyrinth?"

Three pairs of eyes snapped toward her for a moment, then the three looked nervously at each other. No one spoke. Frowning, Sarah tried again.

"What happened to the Labyrinth?"

The female looked up from her pipe, blue eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about? What is the labyrinth?"

Sarah stared back at her, incredulous. "The Labyrinth? That big pile of stone behind you? You know? Home to the goblins?"

"Goblins?!" Cowl shuddered.

"Quiet!" Green whacked him. "Goblins! What is this? No goblins here!"

"Shut up, both of you!" The female squeaked, and the other two fell into silence. She turned her blue eyes on Sarah, looking at her suspiciously.

"No goblins here. None left."

Sarah frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. This woman had to be mistaken, how could there be no goblins?

"What do you mean? What happened here?" She asked uneasily. The woman puffed her pipe, eying Sarah slowly.

"Once," She grunted. "This was a kingdom. Then the king left. Now these stones is all that remain."

Sarah stared, her green eyes unblinking. The woman looked back at her just as hard. The dark-haired woman swallowed tightly, almost afraid to voice her next question.

"When... Did the king leave?"

The woman snorted, her eyes hard. "'S just a story. If there ever was a kingdom, it was many hundreds of years ago."

"Thousands, 'un!" Cowl piped up. Green whacked him again. The woman glared at both of them, her jaw clenched as she turned back to their green-eyed guest.

"Magic has gone wild behind those walls," She said softly. "Wild magic is dangerous."

Sarah sat curled about herself, a frown frozen on her face and panic making her heart flutter. She had known for hours now _where_ she was, it had never even occurred to her to wonder _when_ she was. But the thought choked her now. She gazed up at the crumbling stone wall and her heart pounded. Thousands of years? No Hoggle? No goblins? No... Goblin King? She trembled, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to get home? Hundreds, _thousands _of years that separated this ghost from the labyrinth she knew?

They sat around the stunted fire, silent, for at least half an hour.

Then, quietly, Sarah buried her head against her knees and wept.

* * *

It was the sound of voices that woke her.

Her body protested as she uncurled herself from her makeshift bed in the sand. The sky above was the same as it had been when she went to sleep: the same orange and purple hues of late evening. The moon hung in the same position, huge and pale in the starless twilight. Time, she realized again, had truly stopped for this place. But _when_ had it stopped? And why?

The voices started again. Sarah glanced up, seeing the three figures huddled by the caravan, whispering. Green eyes narrowed, she strained to listen.

"She looks like 'un of them seelie folk," Whispered Cowl.

"_That_ is no fey!" Hissed the female, her eyes bright with annoyance. "_That_ is 'un human!"

"Noooo!" Squealed Cowl, his hands flapping nervously. "How would 'un human get _here_?"

The three went silent.

"Dunno," the female finally said, her voice gravelly and worried. "But I smells old magic on her. Wild magic. Dangerous."

The green one finally spoke up, his husky voice soft compared to the other two. "We could eats her," he suggested. Cowl seemed to consider this idea, but the female shook her head.

"No, no... Could _sell_ her..." She said slyly, stroking her chin. The other two stared at her, the idea seeming to please them.

"Whuz a human worth?" Green wanted to know, rubbing his hands together greedily. Cowl stood hunched at his side, claws clicking together worriedly.

"Lots, probably," The female drawled, taking out her pipe again. "She's tall... Could..." She gestured vaguely, "_reach _things."

"Looks like the seelie, 'un..." Cowl spoke up again, flinching when the female raised her hand to him. "Shut it, scab! She's no seelie! Human for sure!"

"You said you smelled magic!" Cowl groveled. "Old magic, like the fey!"

"Hmph," the female grunted. "Not _her_ magic."

Green spoke up again. "Should tie her up, probably. If we're not gonna eat her." The female glared at him.

"No eating!" She lipped her pipe, eyes thoughtful. "Bind her. Don't want to loose her. 'Specially not 'round here..."

Green nodded and stepped into the caravan, probably to get a rope. Sarah held her breath, watching as the woman turned on Cowl for some unseen offense and began kicking at him. She took the moment, getting to her feet and sprinting away.

The sand was powdery under her shoes, and she stumbled. The feeling was like something from a nightmare, when you're being chased by a murderer or a monster and you feel like you're running through mud – your feet getting sucked down, your movements slow and your pursuer gaining quickly.

She rounded the sand dune, finding herself back in the gate keeper's garden.

"Where's the human?!" She heard the female squeal, followed by a scuffling of many small feet running through sand. Toward her.

Panicked, Sarah turned in a circle, looking wildly about herself. Where could she hide? Where could she go? Around the corner? Back the way she came? They would follow, and she was tired. She couldn't go far.

Deep shadows before her drew her eye and she glanced up, freezing. Staring.

The gateway of the Labyrinth loomed before her like an open mouth. Silent. Hungry. Waiting.

Screeching voices gained on her and she panicked. Turning toward the gateway, The champion took a deep breath, and ran.

* * *

Ah, chapter two, _done_. Now we can get to really interesting bits! What might those be, you ask? Well stay tuned to find out! And now to the real reason I write: Reviews! If you read, please review! And thank you in advance. :)


	4. The King and I

Since everyone has been so patient, and I have pages and pages of notes that need to be USED... I updated quickly. Consider it recompense for the long wait between the _last_ updates!

I dedicate this chapter to my best friend, April, who made me feel very guilty for the lack of J/S in the last chapter. I hope this makes for it!

* * *

**The Slumbering City**

Chapter Three

The King and I

_"'Be what you would seem to be' -- or, if you'd like it put more simply -- 'Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.'"_

_"I think I should understand that better," Alice said very politely, "if I had it written down: but I can't quite follow it as you say it."_

Through The Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll

The first few moments were of confusion, groping and stumbling in the dark. She could still hear the screeching voices of the three behind her, but the darkness was blinding. She couldn't tell if they were following, and, panicked she kept moving, her hands stretched out, trying to feel for the wall she _knew _was there.

_Come on_, she thought desperately, _Come on... Yes!_ Her fingertips brushed against something hard and she moved forward, her palms scraping against rough stone. She winced, but grinned victoriously. She moved to her right, using the wall to guide her. The voices faded behind her as she limped speedily away, further into the labyrinth. After several moments, the darkness began to fade and she stepped out of the shadow and into the gloomy twilight. She panted for breath, feeling nervous sweat trickle down her spine.

She could no longer hear Cowl, Green, or the female squabbling. Now that she was out of the darkened entrance, she felt confidant that they would not follow her into the Labyrinth. The way they had spoken about it, the way they had behaved, camped in it's shadows made it clear this was a place they respected, even outright feared. For the first time since she had woken up outside its walls, Sarah felt safe.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to look down the straightaway corridor. It stretched off far into the distance and she smiled.

The first time she had stood here and stared down the never ending path, she had felt frustrated, angry, and a little afraid. Now, the familiar sight made her feel confident. She had done this before. She had stood here before. Obviously, though it looked like a shadow of its former self from the outside, the Labyrinth was still holding together – and playing the same tricky hand.

Smiling, Sarah walked slowly down the corridor, her fingertips trailing along the glittering wall. There was something comforting about being back here, and it put a fresh spring in her step. Yes, her body still ached, yes, she was still exhausted. But she felt refreshed. A new sort of nervous energy fueled her. She wanted to get a bit of distance between herself and the entrance, just in case the creepy trio got over their fear and decided that she was worth too much to let go.

She turned out of the straightaway, now finding herself in the heart of the Labyrinth. This was where the real challenge began. She ran forward, then took a sharp left. A few of the walls had collapsed, so it was easy enough to just climb over them. She continued this way for another hour before she felt her strength dwindling.

Finally, she sat down, her back to the wall and her legs stretched before her. She tossed her hair back and yawned. Every muscle in her body ached and throbbed painfully. Wincing, Sarah reached up over her shoulder, patting the stones tenderly. "Good ol' Labyrinth," She said softly, tilting her head back and looking up at the sky. "It's nice to see you again."

She closed her eyes with a sigh. She'd take a little nap, then she'd retrace her steps to the center of the Labyrinth. All of the answers she wanted could be found in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, she knew it her gut.

* * *

This time Sarah found herself in a part of the castle she didn't recognize. Her feet dragged slowly against the stone floor and, again, when she came to herself she had the feeling she'd been wandering for hours. There was a pulse in the air, thrumming around her excitedly.

_Search!_

Sarah put a hand to her forehead, pushing her dark hair back as her eyelids drooped. She was _so_ tired...

_Find!_

She stumbled along the flagstone, hardly able to pick her feet up anymore. The thrumming around her intensified, becoming an excited buzz that urged her forward. The young woman reached out a hand to steady herself, trembling as her palm pressed against chilled stone. Tired green eyes looked up and for a moment Sarah thought she was tunnel visioning. It took several seconds for the exhausted girl to realize that she was in a narrow stone hallway. Far at the other end, she could see an archway, where bright light spilled forth into the dim, cold hall. It was toward this room that the presence in the air urged her. Grudgingly, Sarah took another step forward.

_Awaken!_

"Oh, _shut up_!" She snarled, clenching her hands into fists and hunching her shoulders. "Leave me _alone_!" She whimpered, now bringing her hands to her ears and leaning back against the wall. Slowly, her tired body slid down against the rough stones until she collapsed on the floor in a miserable heap.

The vibrations in the air seemed to lessen, and Sarah wrapped her arms around herself, cold, tired, and petulant.

"I don't want to look anymore," She babbled. "I'm tired. Just let me rest. Let me _really _rest, please..." She buried her head against her knees, closing her eyes tightly and taking a deep, shaky breath. "I can't look anymore... I can't... I'm so tired..."

She sat there for several long minutes (though time didn't matter in this place), whispering plaintively to no one as the cold from the stones around her seeped through her clothes and into her skin. Suddenly, the pulsations in the air returned with full force, nearly knocking the breath out of her.

_Get up_

Groaning a weak protest, Sarah dragged herself to her feet. She turned to face the bright archway at the end of the hall. Her ears were ringing, the low timbre growing by the second. The hallway seemed to stretch before her, now looking twice as long as it had before. A strange sense of vertigo made her feel dizzy and she braced both hands against the wall as she shuffled reluctantly forward.

Slowly, deliberately, one foot before the other, hands braced against the icy stone wall, Sarah made her way toward the brightly lit room. A sense of urgency settled low in her stomach, and several times she found her steps quickening in a hurried, panicked sort of way. The ringing in her ears had crescendoed, and she could feel the vibrations throughout her body, as though she were standing under a huge brass bell after someone had struck it like a gong.

She felt compelled to move forward, despite her fatigue. A small part of her had a pressing _need_ to get to the end of the hall, to see what was in the room beyond. That part urged her onward, impatient. But Sarah rebelled, keeping her pace deliberately slow. She kept having the unsettling thought that these feelings were not her own. _Why_ did she need to keep going? What was she looking for? She knew she was looking for _something_ but for the life of her could not remember _what_. And if she couldn't remember, then it couldn't be _that _important. Could it...?

Her heart leaped to her throat as she got closer to the end of the hall. Whatever it was she was searching for, it was beyond the archway. Her sneakered feet stopped at the pool of light that spilled from the other room. Sarah pushed away from the rough stone wall and stared, somewhat dazed, into the brightness before her.

_What's in there?_ She wondered, squinting. Shifting uncomfortably, Sarah lingered at the threshold, fighting whatever it was that told her to hurry through. _Must go in! Must go in!_ The thought drifted through her mind, electric, sending tingles through her limbs, forcing her take another step forward before the young woman caught herself. It was difficult to resist, Sarah grinding her teeth with the effort it took to keep herself from moving forward. _Why must I? _She thought desperately. _Maybe I don't want to go in there._

_Awaken!_ The bells tinkled, insistent. The vibrations in the air around her intensified and the hallway seemed to tremble around her. Sarah stumbled through the archway, reaching out for something to steady her, her heart pounding and her eyes closing against the brilliance that suddenly surrounded her.

She tripped against the flagstone, pitching forward and groping blindly for something to catch herself on. Her hands brushed against a cool, woolen fabric and she clutched at it, tugging as she regained her balance. Green eyes opened cautiously, squinting against what she was certain would be a light as bright and glaring as the midday sun. Instead, soft candlelight met her gaze. Confused, Sarah straightened, looking around her.

The room was large – huge, rather -- the biggest space besides the Escher room that she had seen in the castle. It appeared to be some sort of banquet hall, with a long, dark wooded table running down the middle, stretching from one end of the hall to the other. It was big enough to sit a hundred, easily, with elegant high backed chairs upholstered in rich fabrics of wine and gold.

The walls were equally sumptuous, with beautiful tapestries hanging from the high ceilings and reaching down to the stone floor. It was one such tapestry that she clutched now, having grabbed onto it when she stumbled into the room. The fabric was heavy in her hands, and when she looked closer she could see the exquisite detail that had gone into the making. This tapestry pictured a medieval hunting scene, with a large stag being chased by seven impossibly beautiful, golden-haired men. One held a horn to his lips, another had a hound by the collar. The rest were holding bows, pointed toward the stag's heart. They smiled, their cheeks flushed with excitement. There was something vaguely sinister in their expressions and Sarah shuddered, releasing the tapestry and watching it fall back against the wall. She quickly glanced at a few of the others that hung close by. One was a group of ethereally beautiful women, each sitting a loom, another featured a nymph frolicking through the woods. Each tapestry had two things in common that Sarah could see: they each featured owls -- either as a part of the scene or stitched into the borders – and each, though lovely, made her feel uneasy if she looked too long upon them.

She turned from the tapestries, shivering. From the high ceiling hung several pewter chandeliers, bedecked with candles. This was the source of the light for the entire hall, which contradicted the brilliance that had spilled forth into the stone hallway. Though she had come to expect such odd occurrences when she had run the Labyrinth, she still felt ill at ease by the discrepancy.

Only one wall was bare of any ornamentation, and it stood at the head of the table. No tapestry hung here, just a large circular window centered below the ceiling, out of which she could see a midnight sky spattered with twinkling stars.

Sighing, she approached the long table, laying her hand against one of the plush chairs. The table was covered in a dark cloth, interwoven with glittering green thread. Gorgeous crystal dinnerware had been laid out and she could see that the great hall had recently hosted a feast. Many plates were full of half-eaten food, and down the table lay carved roast and peacock. Pies and savories filled the spaces in between and, further down the table, someone had toppled their wine goblet, leaving a large, dark stain against the already aphotic cloth.

The combined smells of all the rich foods made her mouth water, and reminded her that she hadn't eaten anything since the granola bar at the carnival. And who knew how long ago _that_ had been. Hungrily, Sarah trailed down the table, eager green eyes taking everything in. Roast beef here, pigeon there. Meat pie, gooseberry pie... Several dishes that were unfamiliar but looked _wonderful_. She continued to move along, fingers itching to reach out and touch --

The sound of quiet laughter sent a chill down her spine and Sarah froze, immediately glancing upward. A pair of mismatched eyes stared coolly back, pinning her to the spot.

He sat at the head of the table, (_How could I have missed him?!_) slouched leisurely in his chair, booted feet propped on the table beside a plate of food that appeared to be untouched. Frost blond hair lay in wisps about his face and fell roguishly over his shoulders. He was dressed in dark colors, A black frock coat with small brass buttons over a loose garnet shirt. His breeches were the same color as his jacket, and his boots were darker than both. One gloved hand rested on his knee while the other held a crystal goblet of wine. Candlelight cast soft, flickering shadows over his handsome, angular face, lending him an air of mystery – as if he needed it.

Even in such a careless pose, he still managed to look regal and elegant in a way that only _he _could.

_Goblin King_, the title rolled around in her head, nearly making her dizzy. She clutched the edge of the table in a white-knuckled grip, her mouth suddenly going dry as they regarded each other. His gaze remained fixed on her face for several long moments, then lazily began to roam downward, hungrily drinking in the sight of her.

Sarah felt her skin goospimple as she came to the uncomfortably realization that he must have been silently watching her since she entered the room.

"Well, if it isn't you," He finally spoke, canting his head to side and smirking wickedly. "I was wondering when I'd see you again, miss Williams."

"Our last encounter wasn't enough for you?" Sarah was proud that her words came clear and strong, no tremor in her voice.

Jareth grinned and, like the tapestry people, the expression was not entirely pleasant. He gestured for her to come closer and Sarah locked her knees, refusing to budge. He chuckled, his eyes flickering eagerly over her face.

"Your lip is bleeding, precious," he said conversationally. "I would offer you my handkerchief, but we both know you wouldn't take it." His tone was light, but his eyes were dark as he watched her lift one trembling hand to her mouth.

It came away with a smear of blood above her wrist and Sarah stared at it, confused.

"I fell..." She said vaguely, half-remembering something important.

Jareth arched one winged eyebrow, "I know the feeling."

With his words, he reclaimed Sarah's attention and she frowned, looking uncertainly at him. Was he talking about her? Or... something else...? He sensed her confusion and smirked.

"How are you enjoying my Labyrinth, Sarah?" He asked teasingly. Green eyes narrowed angrily at him.

"It's a piece of cake," She snapped, hands now on her hips. "Are you going to ask that same question every time you see me?"

The Goblin King chuckled, taking a sip of his wine. "As long as it sparks such an amusing reaction from you, darling Sarah, I believe I shall."

Sarah tried to keep her angry sputtering to a minimal, not wanting to look foolish before his majesty.

"I saw you eying my... table, Sarah..." He smiled dashingly, leaning forward and slowly pushing his crystal plate toward her, his eyes intent on her face. "Hungry?" He asked, his voice seductively soft. She stared, the plate was piled high with all a manner of delicacies. She was sorely tempted to reach for it – in fact she felt herself leaning forward – but something stopped her. There, on one corner of his plate, looking innocent and oh-so delicious... was slice of candied peach. In one second, Sarah felt her hunger disappear entirely. Green eyes flashing angrily, she drew herself up.

"No, thank you." She said stiffly. Jareth watched her expression, clearly amused. He reached one gloved hand out and lifted the candied peach to his lips.

"Too bad," He purred, "You're really missing out."

Sarah was unsure whether he meant to intimidate her, or if he had something altogether different in his mind as he bit into the candy, but either way she felt uncomfortable with the way he watched her.

"There's something wrong with the Labyrinth." She finally managed to say. Truth, she realized.

"Is there?" Jareth inquired, eyes wide and innocent. "Do tell."

She frowned, her smooth brow furrowing as she took a step closer to him. Jareth's eyes brightened and, without moving, he seemed to coil in his seat, ready to spring at her. She stopped abruptly, feeling as though she had made a mistake. But what that was and _why_, she could not say.

"You know." She said, her voice soft as they stared at each other. "You know what's wrong with it."

Jareth was silent. Although he didn't fidget, she could sense an air of nervous energy about him, as though he were straining to keep to his chair and not leap up to grab her. He lifted his goblet slowly, the delicate crystal glimmering in the candlelight.

When he spoke, his voice was low. "A dog without a master becomes wild, Sarah. Dangerous." He brought the wine to his lips, his eyes on hers as he took a long, slow drought. "A nuisance." He said slowly, setting the glass gently on the table.

Sarah stared at him, frowning.

"The Labyrinth has no master..."

Jareth toyed with one of his frock coat buttons, watching her intently. "It doesn't?"

Her frown deepened. "You just said..."

"I did?" He smirked as she lost her temper glaring daggers at him and taking another step closer, forgetting her trepidation in her anger.

"Stop it! Just give me a straight answer!"

He laughed and arched an eyebrow. "Sarah..." He said her name slowly, as through relishing the taste. "Sarah... Ask me a straight question."

The young woman paused, her features suddenly thoughtful. She stared at him, dark hair falling haphazardly around her lovely face. She cut an interesting figure, standing there in his banquet hall, her clothes ripped and dirtied, her hair a mess, her eyes ablaze. Exquisite. Jareth grinned, gloved fingers tapping an aimless tune against his thigh as the young woman glared at him.

"Why am I here?" She asked, exasperated.

Jareth's grin widened, and Sarah was once again graced with the sight of his too-white, too-sharp, too-predatory teeth.

"Oh, precious, you really haven't figured it out? Smart girl like you?"

Her eyes narrowed as he chuckled, but she did not back down, waiting for him to continue.

"You are here, darling Sarah, to play your favorite role." He said derisively, his smile cruel as his mismatched eyes pinned her to the spot. "You are _here_ to be the heroine." He hissed.

Sarah frowned, her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she watched him. Jareth continued to smirk at her.

"I can see you're still confused, my love. Shall I elaborate?" His voice became suddenly high-pitched and Sarah winced as he shrieked, his hands over his heart and his eyes rolled toward the heavens, in a rather astute impression of a damsel in distress.

"Oh, save me, save me, Sarah!" He ended with a laugh, his expression mocking as his eyes once again focused intently on her.

Green eyes darkened as realization slowly set in. _This _was why she was here?! To save the _Him_? She grit her teeth angrily, her her hands tightening into fists at her side. Jareth watched the emotions play out across her face, clearly amused by the upset he had caused her.

"My, you look quite unhappy with the prospect, Sarah. What, you don't want to save me?" He fluttered his lashes mockingly.

"Since when does the villain need to be rescued?" Sarah asked sharply, her head still spinning from his tactless revelation. Jareth clicked his tongue, tsking her.

"My dear, just because I was the villain in _your_ story, doesn't mean I'm the villain in _every_ story." He toyed with the amulet around his neck, shooting a wicked smirk in her direction. "Honestly, I'm beginning to get the feeling you just don't like me."

_I don't. _She thought dryly. She didn't have to say it, they both knew it to be true. Sarah took a deep breath, steadying herself. _It's okay_, she thought, soothingly. _You've done it before, you can do it again. And you can do it better and wipe that smug look off his face! _A confident smile slowly spread over her lips. Once she played this_ ridiculous _game she could go home.

She lay one hand on her hip, the other loose at her side, her back ramrod straight as she looked down at the Goblin King. He looked back at her, still smirking.

"All right. Fine. What do I have to do?"

Jareth shrugged one shoulder, leaning back in his chair and watching her, an excited grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I assume you have to run the Labyrinth." He replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What? Not going to tell me the rules? No ludicrous thirteen-hour time limit? No words of advice?" She rolled her eyes.

Jareth smirked at her attitude. Cheeky girl. "It's not my game, Sarah." He said slowly. "How you play is not up to me."

Sarah paused, some of the confidence leaving her. Jareth stared up at her, smiling knowingly.

_Not his game? Not his game? _Thoughts began to whirl about her mind as she tried to make sense of his words. Not his game? But --! She shrank back, reaching out to grip one of the chair backs as she stared at the grinning Goblin King.

"Didn't you bring me here?" She asked softly, suddenly uncertain.

Jareth leaned toward her as if he had been waiting for her to ask this question. His eyes were bright, but cold and his tone clipped.

"Miss Williams, why would I? You defeated the Labyrinth and conquered me. I have no power over you." He smiled at her, but she could see the unpleasant twist of bitterness on his lips.

"If you didn't bring me here," Her voice trembled. "Who did?"

Jareth was laughing at her again, his eyes bright as he watched her realizing the answer herself.

"Who indeed, Sarah?"

She couldn't stand the way he was staring at her, the hungry look in his eyes or the derisive laughter he directed toward her. It wasn't fair that he could make her feel so small.

"Oh, stop it!" She snapped childishly. Jareth quieted, though he continued to chuckle, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. "I want to go home," She said petulantly, all but stamping her foot. Jareth smiled, once again showing his teeth.

"Then I suggest you open your eyes, precious."

She did, gasping and feeling as though a bucket of ice water had just been poured over her head. Disoriented, she looked around herself, finding her back to the sharp stone wall of the Labyrinth and, above her, the Orange and purple sky of never ending twilight.

Before her, however, crouched Cowl, his unnerving orange eyes staring right at her.

"I found you, 'un!" He sang happily, his claws clicking together. In slow motion, he reached for her, jagged claws brushing against her throat.

Sarah screamed.

* * *

You can thank April for the gratuitous J/S. And you can thank ME for writing it by leaving a review! Thanks! :)


	5. Twitch and the Tale

Chapter four already? Oh my gosh, I'm updating _again! _This is a big deal for me, seriously. Enjoy!

**The Slumbering City**

Chapter four

Twitch and the Tale

_"Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with,"' the Mock Turtle replied; "and then the different branches of Arithmetic--Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision." _

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

* * *

The feel of claws against the tender flesh of her neck stirred up a primal fear in Sarah and she blindly thrashed, opening her mouth to let out a terrified scream.

Immediately, Cowl snatched his long fingers back, shuffling away and watching the human in wide-eyed surprise. He clamped his hands over his ears at the noise she made, panicking, his orange eyes bright and frightened.

After a moment, when Sarah realized the claws were gone, she quit her frantic movements and went still, her green eyes wide as she stared at the hooded creature who had followed her into the Labyrinth. He trembled before her, huddled against the worn cobblestones, his frayed brown robes blanketing his slight frame. They regarded each other silently for several long moments.

The stones beneath her were frigid and she licked her lips nervously, trying to orient herself. One moment she'd been having an audience with the Goblin King, and the next she was back in the twisting corridors of the Labyrinth, moments away from being strangled.

Her limbs were heavy from both sleep and the cold that had seeped into her bones, reality bringing back the aches and pains she'd tried to forget when she'd drifted off. She kept her eyes on Cowl, watching him distrustfully as she clumsily pulled herself to her feet. She felt numb, half of her still fighting to escape the bizarre dream, the other half desperately trying to focus on the reality in front of her.

Cowl stared back up at her, his diminutive form still shaking. He hunched his shoulders, his strangely luminous eyes dropping to the ground. He looked more like a whipped dog than a murderous terror and Sarah's cheeks reddened slightly. Suddenly, she felt a little embarrassed about her episode upon wakening, she'd obviously terrified the little creature.

"Has anyone ever told you that waking someone by strangulation is rude?" Her voice was breathless and she leaned her back against the crumbling wall behind her. Cowl looked up at her, cocking his head to the side and taking a hesitant step closer. When Sarah did not stop him from approaching, he seemed to gain some confidence, his gravelly voice energetic.

"Just wanted to wake the Sarah up!"

Sarah licked her chapped lips, looking down at the creature, her thoughts racing a mile a minute.

"How did you get in here?"

"Followed the Sarah, un!" The creature replied, obviously excited to be relating the news. "Saw the Sarah running, and followed!"

"And... the other two?" It was the next obvious question. Sarah shuddered at the thought that the green one and the female had possibly followed her as well. She'd like to claim she had home advantage, but she'd been forced to admit yesterday that this was not the Labyrinth she'd run before. At best, the unfamiliar territory would put her on equal ground with the two, but Cowl seemed to have found her easily enough and she had the sneaking suspicion that he was not half as cunning as the others.

Cowl seemed to like the thought less than she did, and shuddered, shaking his head.

"Nasty slavers did not follow the Twitch!"

Sarah smiled softly, tilting her head to the side to observe the hooded creature.

"Twitch?"

Cowl drew himself up, "I is the Twitch!" He stated proudly. "I is free now!" He told her excitedly, orange eyes oddly luminous as he quivered with energy.

"Followed the Sarah and now I is free, un!" He darted forward and wrapped his long, skinny arms around her waist in a fierce hug. Sarah laughed nervously and patted the top of his hooded-head before gently pushing him away.

He backed away with little urging on her part, but his eyes gleamed happily from the deep shadows of his cowl.

"Well... Twitch..." Sarah began, hesitating as the creature looked adoringly up at her. "Ah... What are you planning to do with your new-found freedom, hmm?"

Twitch paused, his shoulders dropping as he pondered the question.

"Do... What will Twitch do..."

Sarah looked around, trying to decide which way she would go. Frowning, she craned her neck, gazing over the wall and spotting one of the castle towers in the distance. With a sigh, she turned her feet in that direction. She had walked for hours yesterday, but besides leaving the straightaway corridor it did not seem as though she'd gotten any closer.

Seeing his idol walking away, Twitch squeaked and hurried after her.

"Twitch knows what he will do!" He said proudly, keeping pace with her, though his shorter legs had to move twice as fast to keep up with tall woman's strides.

"Twitch will go with the Sarah!" The creature beamed from under his hood.

The dark-haired young woman looked down at him, a half-hearted smile on her lips. "Twitch," She began slowly, her steps faltering. The little creature looked up at her, eyes wide. "You don't want to follow me --" The little thing began nodding furiously. Sarah hesitated, "I mean... Don't you want to go home, now that you're free?"

Her green eyes slowly focused on the twilight sky above them, a heaviness in her heart. This was a different Labyrinth than the one she had championed seven years ago. Then, she'd had a firm goal in mind: reach the Castle Beyond the Goblin City and rescue Toby. This time she was lost within the twisting corridors of the ruined Labyrinth. Lost and aimless. Unlike the last time she had been in this place, she had only a vague inkling of what was expected of her.

Once more, her gaze settled on Twitch. How _unfair _it would be to allow the little creature to follow her when she didn't know where she was going herself. The Castle was in the center of the Labyrinth, the center of its power and, instinctively, she aimed her wandering steps in that direction. But that was only because it was all she knew _how _to do. Experience had taught her that the Castle meant the end of her journey and a way home. By no means did she feel certain, however, that it would do the same for her this time. All she had was hope.

And say that she _did _ make it home once she found the Castle? Twitch would be left behind. If the story the little female had told her about Jareth leaving the Labyrinth a thousand years ago was true (and from the looks of the crumbling walls around her, Sarah could almost believe it _was_) then Twitch would be left alone in the ruins. It seemed too cruel a fate for the little creature.

Twitch looked around himself, as though not understanding the question. "Is home already. Will follow the Sarah!"

His words gave Sarah pause and she halted, her brow furrowed as she turned to him.

"Home?" She asked curiously.

Twitch shut his mouth, looking away guiltily. He'd said too much. The young woman pressed him, her green eyes narrowing.

"What do you mean, you're already home?"

"Twitch is home..." He trailed of helplessly, his orange eyes looking pleadingly up at her. Quietly, Sarah knelt before him, her eyes intent upon him.

"Twitch?" Her voice was soft, "Do you mean... Is the Labyrinth your home?"

The hooded creature shifted listlessly from one foot to the other, his claws clicking nervously together.

"No... No... Not... inside..." He blinked his wide eyes owlishly. "Twitch's home is outside."

Sarah frowned. The outside? Disappointment settled in her stomach. For a moment she'd thought she'd found a creature of the Labyrinth.

"Do you know how to get back home?" Twitch nodded. For a moment, Sarah considered telling him to go back, but something stopped her.

Sarah smiled and tried another question: "Do you know how to get to the center of the Labyrinth?"

After a moment of hesitation, Twitch nodded again. Sarah's heart sang and she beamed at the little thing, who basked in the attention.

"Twitch, will you help me get to the center of the Labyrinth?" Memories of Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus flitted across her mind. She would never have been able to beat the Labyrinth without her friends, perhaps that was just what she needed this time. A friend, a guide.

"The Sarah needs help?" Twitch asked, his claws clicking together again. Sarah nodded slowly, pushing her dark hair back from her face.

"Yes, I need help getting to the Castle."

Twitch was silent for several moments, his head tilting from side to side as he seemed to consider her words. Finally, he spoke and she could hear the smile in his voice.

"Then Twitch will help the Sarah!"

"Thank you," The young woman smiled happily, getting to her feet as the little creature danced about her, buzzing with excitement.

"Follow Twitch!" He cried, stumbling off down one of the corridors. Quickly, Sarah trailed after him, a real smile on her face for the first time in days.

* * *

Several hours later the Castle loomed in the distance, much closer than it was when she'd woken up. Twitch, ever energetic, had lead her through twisting pathways of glittering stone and over fallen walls of the Labyrinth. They had never encountered a dead end, and, finding herself newly energized by the progress, Sarah had followed enthusiastically.

Now, though, the aches and pains were settling in her once again and she called for Twitch stop. She needed to rest again, her head was throbbing and her body just _hurt_. Finding an open walkway where the paths forked off in several directions, Sarah finally allowed herself to give into the exhaustion and sit down.

With her back once more against the chilly stone walls of the Labyrinth, she allowed herself to gaze up at the purple and orange sky. The moon hung as low as ever, full and pale against the vivid twilight colors that surrounded it. Keeping track of time was impossible, as nothing in the sky moved as it should. Still, Sarah was certain that she and the little hooded-creature had traveled for hours.

Twitch shuffled before her, his luminous eyes peering at her from under his cowl.

"Does the Sarah have magic?" He asked hopefully.

Surprised at the question, Sarah blinked, then smiled faintly and shook her head.

"I'm afraid not."

Twitch looked away, his voice soft with disappointment.

"Oh..."

"Do we... uh... need magic?" She brushed glittering dust from her jeans.

"Twitch wants to make a fire, un." He explained. Sarah cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh... okay..." She watched as Twitch shuffled to the center of the crossroad, bending and waving his claws in a circle. He mumbled something and a spark flew from his fingertips. A moment later, a stunted orange flame flickered listlessly between them. Sarah stared, green eyes wide. How many times had she wished for magic as a child? She gazed longingly at the flames.

"Thank you," She said softly, stretching her arms out toward the blaze, feeling warmth sink into hands. Twitch sat down across the fire from her, nodding slowly and looking around them.

The spires of the Castle glittered eerily in the half-light and Sarah narrowed her eyes.

"Twitch," She said softly, calling the hooded creature's attention. "Do you know the story of what happened here?"

The creature frowned from inside his hood, tilting his head to the side. "What happened here?" He repeated slowly. Sarah's green eyes shifted from the Castle to him.

"Yeah, you know..." She gestured vaguely, "The story about the... The King... why he left the Labyrinth?"

Twitch's already luminous eyes seemed to light up. "The Dreamweaver King! Twitch knows the story!"

_Dreamweaver King_? Sarah felt disappointed. It was the _Goblin King_ she was curious about. Still, hearing the story wouldn't hurt. It might even hold some clues to what was happening and how to fix it.

"Will you tell me the story?" She smiled. Twitch nodded, scooting closer to the fire.

"Once," Twitch began, his voice theatrically low. Sarah smiled, feeling the thrill of an audience who is about to hear a well-practiced story. "Once there was a powerful king who ruled over the wild Labyrinth. He had old magic, and bent the Labyrinth and its subjects to his will."

Twitch's curious speech pattern was absent from the story. He was obviously repeating verbatim a tale once told to him. Sarah wrapped her arms around herself, wondering if the "subjects" in the story were the goblins, or if they were creatures like Ludo or the fireys.

"But he was struck down most cruelly by a foe once beloved. Humiliated by defeat and suffering from betrayal, the King used his magic to re-order time to face his enemy once more. Again, he was stuck down and again, he pushed back the hands of time."

Sarah frowned. "Struck down" by a foe? This story was romanticized, to be sure, but it rang a chord of truth with her.

"No matter how he forced the situation to his favor," Twitch continued, "he was bested again and again. His magic weakened by each successive defeat, the King used the last of his power to retreat into the world of dreams. His kingdom, without its ruler, descended into chaos until it, too, sank into slumber. Now the kingdom waits for a champion. One who will conquer the wild magic and awaken the King."

Silence fell between them as Sarah took a a moment to appreciate the story. _If_ one took the tale at its word, then Jareth's cryptic words (_"You are __**here **__to be the heroine,"_) suddenly made a lot more sense. But if she were the hero...

"Who was the enemy?"

Twitch looked up at her, cocking his head to the side. "Mmm?"

"In the story," Sarah explained, "Who was the enemy the... The _Dreamweaver _King lost to?"

The hooded creature frowned, gravelly voice strangely soothing. "Is just a story. The King isn't _real_, un."

"Oh, he's real," Sarah said testily, green eyes fixed challengingly upon the castle spires. "He's up there."

Twitch watched her, his own strangely luminous eyes observing the tense way in which she sat there: arms crossed, back straight, head tilted toward the heavens causing thick waves of dark hair to cascade wildly down her back. Her lips were pressed together in grim determination, and the tiny fire between them cast flickering shadows over her face, giving a dark edge to her fierce expression.

Green eyes softened and she smiled at him. "Can't you feel it, too?"

Twitch was eager to please, but though he immediately fixed his gaze dubiously on the turrets in the distance, he was certain he would feel, well... _nothing. _Just an ancient castle silhouette against the endless twilight.

Still, she seemed so certain... Twitch glanced upward again, watching the tower with the same intensity that Sarah had before. He fancied, for a moment, that he _could_ feel something. A quiet, distant sort of thrumming... He frowned to himself, tilting his head slightly, sensitive ears perking up under his hood. Perhaps there _was _something, after all. But it was so small, so tremulous. A distant echo, not a -- Suddenly, the sound crescendoed, assaulting his eardrums with its ringing, its urgency, its insistence...

It pulsed around them, a disturbance in the air.

He felt something alright, Twitch shrank under his robes, wrapping his arms around himself. He looked around nervously, seeing his confusion reflected on Sarah's face. He shuddered.

"Not the King," He muttered. "Not the King."

* * *

Plot, plot, plot. I KNOW! Don't worry, there will be copious amounts of J/S next chapter, now that Sarah's on the road of discovering just what, exactly, went down in the underground!

Don't forget to review if you want to see more! And ESPECIALLY if you're adding this to your favorites or alerts! Thanks again. :)


	6. In the Garden of Good and Evil

Goodness, we're moving right along aren't we? Chapter five of TSC, ready to go! Please enjoy.

* * *

**The Slumbering City**

Chapter Five

In the Garden of Good and Evil

_"It was much pleasanter at home," thought poor Alice, "when one wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits." _

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

For once, Sarah was immediately and fully aware of an outside force guiding her footsteps through the chill stone hallway of the castle. Well, really, it was more like _herding_ than guiding. Every time the young woman's pace faltered or she took a step in a direction that displeased it, an angry buzzing filled her ears and the very stones beneath her feet would give an indignant lurch.

"All-_right_," Sarah muttered, green eyes flashing in annoyance, "I get it!"

Along with the knowledge that she was being steered through the narrow corridors, the young woman was also quick to realize that she was dreaming. She had to be, since the last thing she remembered was staring into the flames of the stinted fire Twitch had conjured for them. One minute, the dark-haired woman had been mulling over the story the little hooded creature had told her, and the next she had suddenly found herself traipsing through the halls of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City accompanied by her very own soundtrack of tinkling, cognizant bells.

As in the previous dreams, the glittering stone halls were dark and cold. Sarah had wrapped her arms around herself to keep the unnatural chill at bay, her sneakered feet tapping quietly against the flagstones as she walked. If not for the irritating buzzing and jingling of the bells, and the sound of her shoes against the stones, the hall would have been unnaturally still and eerily silent. Once again, Sarah was reminded of her last – real – journey through the castle. Then, there had been much noise and confusion as she and her friends had been waylaid by mischievous goblins. The castle had been bustling and bursting with energy and magic and creatures intent on keeping her from reaching Toby. It had been so _alive_. The hall she trudged down now paled in comparison. There was no energy here. No noise or light or _anything_. It was as if the Castle were sleeping, all of its secrets and tricks hidden away beneath the flagstones while the glistening walls only hinted at the structure's true potential.

Sarah turned a corner and paused, turning her head slightly to shield her eyes against a sudden, bright light. The bells jingled impatiently, but the champion resisted, holding her ground and blinking until her eyes adjusted. At the end of the hallway stood an archway, and it was from this that the new light spilled forth. As she stood there, a gentle gust of wind rustled past her, lifting her long, dark hair and bringing with it the scent of sunshine and _green_.

It was toward this archway that the bells had been urging her. Sarah had rebelled when she could, disliking the feeling of being treated like a chess piece, to be moved when and where the master hand willed it. But other halls had been closed to her: doors locked or entrances too cluttered with old tables, chairs, books, and once even chicken feathers, for her to turn into. So her small rebellions had been limited to dragging her feet and frequent pauses, holding firm as the bells hounded her and the stones lurched in attempts to get the young woman to comply with the pace _it _desired. In the end, Sarah could only stop for so long before the buzzing in her ears and the dizzying tremble of the stones around her began to make her feel sick and lightheaded and she had to continue onward.

Still, the sight of the archway and the smell of something _alive _on the wind made Sarah forget to be disobedient. She took a step forward, the ringing in her ears slowly fading away as the champion took initiative and walked toward the warm, golden light. A snatch of melody drifted through her head and Sarah frowned, but did not stop.

_We're choosing the path between the stars... I'll leave my love between the stars..._

Sarah's heart lurched. The words were familiar, and she struggled to think of where she had heard them before.

_I know that song_, the dark-haired woman thought, brow furrowed in concentration, her steps quickening, _I __**know **__that song!_ But had it really sounded that _sad _before? She couldn't remember. Her head hurt. Her _heart _hurt... The light was _so _bright.

One more step, and she was through the archway.

This time, the light was just as bright as it had appeared to be from within the stone hall, and Sarah had to stop, her eyes stinging with tears. But if the dampness was from the light or the struggle to _remember_, she did not know. Probably it was from both. After a few moments of blinking and grimacing, her eyes adjusted and the young woman looked dazedly about her.

Just like the breeze had promised, she was outside. She stood firmly on a stone path, but on either side were tall stone vases from which shrubbery grew. The green, waxy leaves were broken up by a dusting of tiny, silver flowers that twinkled like stars. The sky above was brilliant blue and cloudless, sun bright and heavy in the sky, the slanted light indicating late afternoon.

She appeared to be in a garden; verdant grass and colorful, exotic looking flowers were everywhere, well-pruned and manicured. At the far end of the garden she could see a tall hedge wall, and her eyes followed it, finding that it wrapped around the colorful oasis, serving as a wall separating it from, what she assumed, was the rest of the Labyrinth. Through it all wound the stone path, and she found herself walking forward.

_Follow the yellow brick road! _She thought snarkily, though the stones beneath her feet where neither yellow nor brick. In fact, they appeared to be the same kind of stone that made up the labyrinth, a glittering grey granite. The path lead toward a tall, leafy oak tree. As she got closer, she saw that in its shade lay a long table, large enough to seat ten. An ice-blue tablecloth fluttered in the breeze, and she could see the afternoon light reflecting off of crystal tableware. A tea service was laid out, with fine pieces of blue Wedgwood and tall crystal tiered platters heavy with sticky cakes and sweets. Sarah felt her stomach rumble hungrily as she approached. It really wasn't _fair _that she kept dreaming of food.

Several of the delicate, carved chairs had been toppled over, she observed, their blue-satin cushions appeared to have been trampled on as though the garden party had been hastily ended. Again, several plates appeared to be half-full, and there was steam rising from the teacups.

"Fashionably late again, precious thing," A silky voice drawled from behind her. Surprised, Sarah whirled about, finding herself nose-to-chest with a resplendent Goblin King.

Jareth loomed over her, frost-blond hair wild as always, fluttering delicately around his pale, finely-featured face. His mismatched eyes were fixed intently on her, and his sensuous mouth curved into an amused half-smile. He appeared to have been waiting for her.

"Late? It looks like I keep missing the party entirely," she retorted, green eyes flashing angrily as she stepped back.

This time Jareth was dressed in pale blues and greys. An icy-hued frock coat with silver trim was buttoned over an off-white shirt. His breeches were a light heather grey and his boots were a shade darker with silver buttons running down the side. A robin's egg blue ascot was around his neck, loose and careless looking while pale lace spilled from his cuffs around his grey-gloved hands – one of which he waved in a distracted manner.

"It wasn't much of a party, really, Sarah. You didn't miss anything." The sunlight seemed to wrap around him, lending him a halo of gold around his achingly beautiful face. The effect was angelic and Sarah bit back a deep frown. _Looks_, she thought, _can most definitely be deceiving. _

Jareth brushed by her, the cool sleeve of his frock coat sliding teasingly along her hand. The dark-haired girl gasped and jerked away, glowering when she heard the monarch chuckle. She got the sense that the Goblin King was in much better spirits than he had been during their last encounter, and she wasn't sure if this should make her feel more uneasy.

He stopped when he reached the head of the table, one gloved hand reaching out and grasping the back of one of the delicate chairs, his other resting on his hip. His eyes roamed lazily over her and a distant, hungry look came over him. Sarah blushed angrily and crossed her arms, glaring daggers at Jareth when he smirked at her.

"My dear, you really are a sight." He said breezily, mouth quirked in a mischievous grin. "I can provide you something much more suitable if you like. Something fit for a princess?"

Sarah's cheeks reddened again. She knew she looked awful. Her jeans were covered with dirt and her blue t-shirt was stained and wrinkled. Even her sneakers were dusty and scuffed. But she had just spent two days in the underground, what did he expect? She knew her hair was wild, greasy, matted and unbrushed. No doubt her face was dirty. The sunlight highlighted Jareth's unnatural beauty and made him shine, while for her she was sure the bright light only served make her imperfections more glaringly obvious. Next to Jareth's splendor she felt she probably resembled a grubby homeless person. Rather than feeling embarrassed, the derision in the Goblin King's tone only served to make her angry.

"What I would _like_," She began scathingly, "Is for you to stop showing up, uninvited, in my dreams!"

Silence fell between them for several moments and Jareth regarded her quietly. Finally, he turned toward the table, picking up a crystal decanter and pouring the contents into a silver cup. When he finally spoke, his voice was dangerously soft.

"Sarah, I have always found your selfishness quite irritating. Why is it you always assume that _you _are the center of everything?"

Sarah watched him, frowning and confused by his words.

"I don't think I'm the center of everything," She began defensively. Jareth's eyes slanted toward her and she froze, her voice leaving her.

"Then what makes you think this is _your _dream, precious?" He inquired, his voice sharp.

Sarah paused, anger fading as she blinked at him, suddenly uncertain.

"Isn't it?"

Jareth turned fully toward her, smiling widely. His teeth glittered dangerously even in the afternoon light.

"Would you care for some tea, Sarah?" He gestured toward the crystal decanter. "It is served chilled, with sugar and lemon," He offered the silver cup in his hand. "This is popular above ground, I hear?" He cocked one winged eyebrow, waiting for conformation. Sarah was confused at the abrupt change of subject, but nodded her dark head slowly.

"Excellent," He drew the word out, as though tasting each syllable. "You must tell me how this compares." Before she could blink, he was before her, pressing the silver cup into her hands. Instinctively, she grasped it, the fine metal cool against her palms.

"Have a seat with me, won't you?" He murmured, his golden head bowed over hers, lips almost pressed to her hair. She took an uneasy step back, wanting to distance herself from the dangerously beautiful king.

"I don't think --" She began, a slight tremor in her voice.

"So defensive," Jareth laughed darkly, following after her, one gloved hand reaching out and taking hold of her arm. He was surprisingly gentle, his grip loose, almost as though he were afraid she might shatter. She could have pulled away easily, and she should, she thought. She really _should_.

But his touch sent a thrill down her spine and she realized that this was the first time he'd laid a hand on her in seven years. She found herself unable to do more than stare at the grey-gloved fingers wrapped around her arm just above her elbow. Jareth's mismatched eyes lingered there as well, and he seemed as enthralled as she at the contact.

"What need do you have to run from me this time, precious?" He asked, his voice slightly strangled. She could feel the heat of him as he loomed over her. "I am not the villain in this story, remember."

Story? _Story_. She remembered. Tilting her head back, she met his mismatched eyes, one ice blue and the other verdant green.

"Who is the Dream Weaver King?"

Jareth flinched, his grip around her arm tightening for a moment and he narrowed his eyes. "Why, Sarah... Wherever did you hear _that _name?" His mouth twisted into a displeasured frown.

Sarah reached up with her free hand, pushing her dark hair back so she could see him more clearly. "From a story," She finally admitted. Jareth stared down at her, and the young woman could feel a drastic change in his mood. "Who is he?" She pressed.

Jareth looked away, his long lashes casting delicate shadows against his cheeks. He used his grip on her arm to begin gently steering her away from the table. "My dear, I'm rather surprised that you have to ask. _I _am the Dream Weaver King, of course."

Sarah thought she should be surprised, but she wasn't. Still, her green eyes narrowed suspiciously and she cocked her head, gazing up at him. Jareth raised one eyebrow delicately, staring politely back.

"I thought you were the _Goblin _King," She said pointedly.

Jareth gave a long-suffering sigh and continued to lead Sarah down the stone pathway toward the large oak tree.

"I am that, too," He agreed.

"How can you be both?" She asked, deliberately slowing her steps. Jareth would have none of it and delicately tugged her forward, catching her stumble and using it to propel them both further down the path, adroitly as a dancer.

"Sarah, my love, I have many monikers. Goblin King, Dream Weaver King, these are only a few. All you need remember, however, is that I am _King_, and you should show me the respect my station deserves."

Sarah scoffed and Jareth glanced down at her, smirking. "So defiant," He said softly. "One day, I shall punish you for all your wrongs against my dignified personage." The glint in his eye gave her pause, and she could not for the life of her decide if he was teasing or not.

They approached the oak tree and Sarah could see that from one of it's sturdy branches hung a cushioned swing. It was here that Jareth lead her. The cushions were plush and silky, and Sarah sighed as she sank into them, barely noticing as Jareth took his place beside her, his golden head turned toward her as he drank in the pleased expression on her face. He had yet to let go of her arm.

"What other titles do you have, oh mysterious monarch?" Sarah asked, her head lolling to the side as she gazed up at him. The sun shone through the leaves of the oak, casting the handsome king in dappled shadows as he looked earnestly down at the young woman beside him.

"That is one of them," He nodded, pushing one booted foot against the ground and causing the swing to sway gently. "As is King of the Mountain, King of the Castle, The Crystal King, Morning Star, and, one of my personal favorites, King Jareth: Bogger of Goblinkind."

One of those titles sounded as though they aught to bother her, but she couldn't decide which. "The Crystal King?" She smiled. "That sounds pretty."

Jareth huffed indignantly. "It most certainly does _not_. It sounds august! Noble. Awe-inspiring."

Sarah laughed and, without thinking, put the silver cup to her lips. It was only when the liquid spilled into her mouth that she realized what she was doing and choked, unintentionally swallowing the sweet concoction.

_Delicious_. Sweet, but not overly so, delicate flavors of lemon and... peach. She shuddered.

"Ah," Jareth smiled at the sputtering girl. "How is it?"

Sarah coughed, then turned to him, voice weak. "It's, uh, _peachy_."

Jareth smirked. "Yes, I thought you'd appreciate that." The dark-haired woman glared. The frost-blond King ignored her withering looks, instead leaning closer, lowering his voice conversationally.

"I would have offered you some of the sweets from my table, Sarah. Sadly, however, dream food does not offer real sustenance." The grip on her arm tightened fractionally and his eyes wandered over her face. "I shall see if I cannot provide something for you in the Labyrinth."

Sarah blinked, shifting uneasily as she realized how close the Goblin King was. He was practically pressed against her side, and she could feel the heat of him. His scent pressed in around her, slightly spicy, like sandalwood and cinnamon. It made her think of moonlit evenings and dark, empty skies spattered with stars.

"Thank you," She managed. Jareth nodded his golden head graciously.

"My generosity towards you never ceases to amaze me," He said lightly, as if to himself. Sarah felt a blaze of heat in her stomach. Anger, worming its way up her throat, itching to burst past her lips and remind him of all the very _un-_generous things he had done for her, like sending the cleaners after her, or giving her drugged fruit.

"Look, your majesty--"

"Jareth," He interrupted, mismatched eyes intent on her face. Sarah lost her train of thought and stared at him.

"What?"

"You know my name, precious. I should like it if you addressed me by it, Sa-rah." He inclined his head toward her, a smirk on his lips as he sang her own name. The champion frowned, an uncomfortable blush staining her cheeks. She noticed again how close he was.

"I don't think so," She replied, "What about addressing you with the respect deserving of your station or whatever?"

Jareth smiled sardonically. "Sarah, my pet, when have you _ever _been respectful toward me?" His eyes narrowed dangerously. "It's as though you don't care that I could destroy your life with a thought. Or perhaps you just expect that I won't?"

Distinctly uncomfortable now, Sarah tried to move away from the golden-haired king, but his grip on her arm was tighter than a vice. She looked nervously up at him, deciding it was a good time to change the subject.

"Who is the villain in The Dreamweaver King?" She blurted.

Jareth's expression darkened, and the very sky seemed to dim slightly. Once again, his voice was silky and dangerously low.

"Sarah... Why are you so interested in a silly bedtime story?" He tilted his face close to hers, his beautiful, pale face obscuring her sight of anything other than _him_. "And wherever did you _hear _it?" The gloved fingers of his free hand slid along her chin, his eyes intent upon hers. "Hmm, precious? Did a sneaky little Goblin tell you?"

"No!" Sarah grasped at the lifeline. "No... The Goblins are gone."

Jareth snorted delicately, leaning back just a bit. "Oh, I very much doubt that, Sarah," he said, rolling his mismatched eyes. "Much like the cockroach, Goblins are resilient creatures. They have survived multiple boggings, chicken races, civil wars, and _you_," He trailed off, glancing toward her, the corners of his lips twitching upward in a humorless smile. "I'm certain they're around, still."

"Well, if there are I haven't seen any," Sarah frowned. "Anyway, there aren't any to answer my question."

Jareth frowned as she looked up at him, green eyes wide and a small smile on her face.

"But _you_ can! So tell me --"

"Sarah," He said sharply, holding his free hand up as though to stop her. "If you cannot tell, that particular story is a subject on which I am not keen to discuss with you."

The dark-haired woman frowned. "But how am I supposed to 'save' you if I don't understand the story?"

"You didn't understand the story the last time you ran the Labyrinth, and look how magnificently _that _turned out for you," He replied, a hint of bitterness in his voice. She should have recognized the signs of danger, but as she always had, the young woman plowed ahead.

Sarah huffed, green eyes narrowing, "I just want to know who the villain of _your _story was," The words were barely out of her mouth when Jareth turned on her.

He snarled, his features suddenly vicious and animal-like. His teeth seemed sharper than before, his skin even paler and his eyes... His terrible, beautiful eyes blazed like embers. Sarah shrank back, fear sinking like a stone in her stomach. He gripped her chin tightly, forcing him to look at him.

"Why must you ask, precious, darling, Sarah? You know very well, _who_!" He growled into her face. Sarah struggled against him, her free hand letting the silver cup fall so that she could push against his chest, her eyes wide with fear.

Jareth had turned on a dime, a moment ago he had been cordial, almost charming toward her, but now he was all rage, fury, and wild beauty. His civilized demeanor she now saw was merely a pleasant facade. This... This was the Goblin King, truly.

"Let... Let me go!" She panted breathlessly. Jareth laughed, and it was a terrible sound. All the light was fading quickly around them and there was only him, The Dream Weaver King, glowing like a star in the heavens.

"Never," He hissed. "Never, do you hear me, Sarah?"

She heard him. His voice rang in her ears, louder than the bells ever had. She heard him even as she woke with a silent, terrified scream, her green eyes wide and frightened as she gazed into the sickly orange flames of the campfire.

She heard him the rest of the day, following Twitch, feeling the bruised, purple finger marks on her chin. His melodic voice echoed in her ears. A warning. A promise.

_Never. Never. Never._

_

* * *

  
_

As promised, J/S and lots of it! I can't write _Good!Jareth. _I think it's just because I prefer him evil. I have a villain kink, so, to me, Jareth always needs to be villainous, even when he's _not_, technically, a villain in this story. OR IS HE?!

Who knows? Oh, yeah. I do! Heh.

Please review! Especially if you add this story to your favorites or alerts! Thanks in advance!

Thanks to mein beta, April. Without you, I would never have started this fanfic!


	7. The Faery Tree

A small update this time. A short chapter, but important! Enjoy, you labby fans!

By the way, this chapter was totally fueled by Charm's Blowpops. Cherry flavored. Lollipops = Fuel of Champions. Maybe if Sarah had a blowpop, she'd have solved this mystery already!

* * *

**The Slumbering City**

Chapter Six

The Faery Tree

_"Never mind!" Alice said in a soothing tone, and, stooping down to the daisies, who were just beginning again, she whispered, "If you don't hold your tongues, I'll pick you." _

Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll

It really wasn't _fair_, Sarah decided, that no matter how much sleep she seemed to get here she never woke up feeling rested. In fact, she usually woke feeling even more tired and restless than she had before she'd ever closed her eyes.

And, then, of course, there were the _dreams_. Half-remembered, hazy images swam through her mind. She tried, as she stumbled after Twitch, to puzzle the dream together, to make sense of what she _could _remember -- a garden, a swing, _The Goblin King_... But just as soon as one part of the dream seemed to come into focus, the other parts dissipated like a mist under the heat of the sun. It was frustrating to say the least. And worrisome.

The only thing she could clearly remember from the dream were Jareth's eyes – the mismatched orbs glowing brightly as he stared down at her terrified face, his fingers clenched tightly around her chin, refusing to let her look away as he whispered softly and menacingly to her, "_Never_."

Terrifying. And more frightening still when she had woken up with clear, finger-shaped bruises across her chin.

More than a dream, but less than reality. All the more frustrating because she could not remember the encounter any more clearly than the last, the vivid image of the Goblin King, glowing, frighteningly beautiful, glowering down at her like some sort of angel of vengeance.

In the waking world, as if the ever present fatigue wasn't enough, it also seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of time to get to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. When she had first run the Labyrinth, it had taken her less than thirteen hours to reach the center (Jareth, the cheater, had subtracted two hours away from the original thirteen). Of course, with unchanging orange and purple sky above, Sarah had no idea how much time had passed since she'd first woken up outside the Labyrinth's walls. It felt like days.

Her steps faltered and she looked around, a slight frown on her lips. She supposed that she should take into account the fact that _this _Labyrinth was much, much older than the one she had conquered seven years ago. Older and, she felt, more dangerous. She wasn't sure _why _it was more dangerous; after all, this Labyrinth seemed to be lacking everything the old Labyrinth had had in abundance: life, in particular. Also, while the Labyrinth she'd beaten had been old and crumbling, _this _Labyrinth had almost completely fallen apart.

So far, while following Twitch, Sarah had seen where many walls of the Labyrinth had toppled, and even several passages that had collapsed in on themselves. It was a depressing sight. With so many paths closed to them, the two had been forced to search for clear passages. Sighing, the young woman ran a hand through her dark, messy hair. No wonder this was taking so long. Up ahead, Twitch paused, straightening his back and tilting his cowled head upward.

"What is it?" She asked, stepping up behind him. Twitch sniffled, then turned to her, orange eyes bright.

"Twitch smells something, un," he muttered distractedly.

Sarah frowned, looking around. They were in a narrow corridor, the glittering walls on either side leaning inward at a perilous and claustrophobic angle. She took a deep breath, but caught only the scent of damp stone. Dust in the air caught in her throat, and the dark-haired girl coughed, tears springing into her eyes.

"I don't... smell anything..." She managed to wheeze. Twitch shifted from foot to foot, audibly sniffing the air. Her coughing fit dying down, Sarah watched the creature, her hand on her chest as he scurried from one side of the passage to the other.

"Smells it..." He muttered, "Know I smells it..."

Appearing to pick up the scent, the creature babbled excitedly and motioned to Sarah with one long, clawed finger. "This way, un! Follow the Twitch!" He turned, his little form moving quickly down the corridor, and further away from her. Blinking, Sarah dashed after him.

Twitch turned down a small corridor and the young woman had to crouch, crawling through the tight space until it opened again and she could once more stand. Twitch was already way ahead of her, his brown-clad form practically prancing around yet another turn. Sarah took a deep breath, jogging to keep up. This continued for several minutes, Twitch racing through turn after sinuous turn, and Sarah trying to keep pace, the constant sharp turns and running making her dizzy. Finally, she spotted Twitch as she rounded yet one more corner. He stood with his back to her.

"_Finally_," She panted, limping up behind him, "What on earth --" She paused, her green eyes widening as she finally saw what Twitch had been chasing after.

They stood in the remains of a small garden. A small, white marble fountain stood off to one side, picturing a maid and a unicorn. Water had once poured from the tip of the unicorn's horn into a cup in the maid's hands, but the fountain had dried up years ago. Dead leaves crunched under Sarah's feet as she stepped further into the garden, barely noticing the fountain or the dead, stunted trees that stood in dark silhouette against the twilight sky.

In the center of the garden, something was _growing_. Both she and Twitch stood, holding their breath at the sight.

A small tree grew out from the rubble that cluttered and choked the ground. A slim, silver trunk grew upward and branched out, sprouting crystal leaves that chimed sweetly when a dry gust of wind ruffled through them. The breeze made it to the two observers, and this time even Sarah smelled it. The scent of sunshine. Of green. Of _life_.

Together, they approached the small tree. It's highest branch was level with Sarah's eyes.

"What is it?" She whispered, reaching out touch one of the glimmering crystal leaves. It was cool against her fingers, and smooth. Each leaf was no thicker than her fingernail, and the thickest branch was about the width of her thumb.

"Magic," Twitch replied sagely, keeping his clawed hands to himself. His words stirred excitement in her belly and she inhaled sharply, her green eyes eagerly taking in the sight of the strange little tree. This was the first glimpse of the Labyrinth's magic since she had conquered it seven years earlier. Did that mean that whatever sort of ennui had fallen over it was finally beginning to lift?

"Look!" Twitch cried, dancing excitedly from foot to foot. Sarah glanced down, watching in fascination as the tree began to blossom further, little round fruits beginning to grow from under the leaves. As they grew, they gained color and a scent that were wholly familiar to the dark-haired young woman.

Twitch's claws clicked sharply as he tapped them together, orange eyes wide as he witnessed the fruits growing rapidly from the miniature tree. Though the silver branches appeared to be fragile, they did not bend or sag under the new weight of the perfect fruits.

As Sarah watched the fruits blossom, she could feel her annoyance building. It crescendoed into a palpable thing, prickling along her skin.

"Of course," She croaked, back now ramrod straight and her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Of _course_ it's a peach tree. What else would it be?"

"Food!" Twitch replied excitedly, reaching out and carefully plucking one from the tree. He tilted his head back to sniff the peach and Sarah caught a glimpse of a small pointed muzzle – almost like that of a bat. But she blinked and Twitch's features were obscured once more. With a frown, she turned back to the tree, regarding it suspiciously. She had a history with Underground peaches, one she did not wish to repeat.

A breeze set the crystal leaves tinkling and brought the heady scent of the ripe fruit straight to the young woman's nose. Sarah's stomach growled rebelliously and the dark-haired girl faltered, biting her lip and shifting indecisively from foot to foot.

She was more than reluctant to try one of the peaches that grew from the silver tree, especially since they were so obviously magical and she, well, had an unsatisfactory encounter with magical peaches in the past.

Since conquering the Labyrinth, she had not abstained from peaches entirely, but they had never tasted the same after her time in the Underground. They always left a bitter taste in her mouth and stirred up unpleasant memories of a drug induced slumber. Could the Goblin King never play fair?

"_I shall see if I cannot provide something for you in the Labyrinth_." The words rumbled through her mind and sent a shiver down her spine. Hadn't _he_ said that? Hadn't that been in the dream?

Well, if it had then it was even _more _of a reason not to eat the damn peaches. Anything Jareth provided was bound to lead to no good.

The sound of sucking noises distracted her from her inner debate and she turned curious green eyes on Twitch, who had a peach in each hand was happily sucking the juices from the one in his right claw. The sight of someone else enjoying the fruit made her mouth water and she turned back to the faery tree, eying the fruits jealously.

"We must not look at goblin men, we must not buy their fruits," She mumbled, "Who knows upon what soil they fed their hungry thirsty roots?"

The poetic lines did little to still her hunger though, and, in the end, it was the hunger that won out. She reached out one dirty, trembling hand and plucked one of the soft, plump peaches from the tree. All sound dwindled as she raised the fruit to her lips, closing her eyes and feeling somewhat like Snow White as she took the first, fateful bite.

It was the most delicious thing ever to have passed her lips. Sweet, succulent juices ran down her parched throat, quenching her thirst. The taste was seductively sweet and crisp, tasting like no peach she had ever eaten before. The meat slid over her tongue like ambrosia, and she trembled as warmth spread through her body after she consumed peach upon peach.

They gorged themselves on peaches. And when they could eat no more, they plucked what remained from the tree and stuffed them into their pockets (or robes), before collapsing at the foot of the silver tree, both of them full and one of them content.

Twitch sighed and closed his eyes, but Sarah stared up at the pale moon and wondered.

She was full, finally, for the first time in recent memory. She was not cold, and she was even reasonably comfortable. But she felt more uneasy now than she had even upon waking from the frightening dream earlier that day. The uneasiness kept her from drifting off, though her body begged for sleep. The aches and pains she had accumulated since falling into the Labyrinth had faded since the first bite of the peach had passed her lips, and she felt warm, refreshed, and oh-so-sleepy. But every time her dark lashes began to drift shut over glazed green eyes, a sick, panicked feeling would rumble through her and shock her awake.

She felt as though she had done something awful. Or was about to do something awful. Frowning, her mind buzzing with a small, quiet alarms, Sarah drifted off to sleep.

Peach juice dripped over her frowning lips and over the bruises on her chin, leaving a sticky trail as it slid further down her neck.

Standing guard over the slumbering couple, the faery tree trembled in the wind, it's crystal leaves clinking together and sounding remarkably like the soft chiming of bells. But in the twilight so deep in the Labyrinth, no one heard.

* * *

Aaaand that's a wrap! For now anyway. Next chapter, some more yummy JS!

To those who spotted, there is a line from the wonderful poem, _Goblin Market_ by Christina Rossetti. I realize it might be overplayed in Labbydom, but I thought it fit well with the situation.

By the way, thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! You guys are awesome, and really keep me inspired to write this fic. Please keep reviewing, the feedback (and lollipops) fuel my writing!

And thanks so much to mein beta, April. Without you, this fic would not exist.


	8. Mechanics of Fairy Tale Kisses

The adventure continues...

* * *

**The Slumbering City**

Chapter Seven

Mechanics of Fairy Tale Kisses

"_When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less."_

Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll

Sarah was pleased that, for once, there were no bells hounding after her. No irritating jingle following on her heels and trying to herd her through cold stone halls – in fact, there was no _hall_. There was only a pleasant sort of darkness, wrapped around her like a velvet blanket.

It reminded her of the first dream she'd had upon tumbling back into the ruined Labyrinth (however long ago that had been), in that she was once again surrounded by a soft thrumming or pulsation. This time, however, there was no sense of urgency, no desperate words tripping through her brain telling her to _wake _up. Midnight curled sensuously around her, and she could _feel _emotions here that, once again, existed outside of herself. Self-satisfaction reverberated from the living dark, but most of all she felt a smug sort of contentment.

Sarah realized this was a new pulse that surrounded her. Familiar, but not the one which, up to now, had been her constant companion in dreams – and perhaps even in the waking reality of the Labyrinth. This power wrapped around her now... she had felt echoes, _heard _reverberations of it in the thrumming bells that had alternately guided and herded her through the dark, glistening halls of the Labyrinth and Castle Beyond. But the new ripple around her was something separate. It felt old, and oddly strained, as though it was muffled or tightly coiled away elsewhere. Only a slender tendril was wrapped around her now, purring against her skin like a contented cat, and she knew that if it were to spring, to unleash itself fully upon her, she would be overwhelmed. It would be like getting hit head-on by a tidal wave. There would be nothing left of her in its wake.

She shifted uneasily, and the movement seemed to shake the dark away. Like droplets of water rolling off her skin, the velvet midnight slowly cleared. Soft, muffled sounds reached her ears – a familiar, musical voice and the rustle of silks. A shiver worked its way up her spine as a shock of cold seeped through her tattered clothes and into her flesh. Sarah felt as though her body was laid out on a block of ice, but her cheek rested on embers. It was smooth and hot, hot, hot against her skin.

Blearily, green eyes fluttered open in time to see a train of white silk glide across glistening stone and out of her sight. She groaned, dark lashes fluttering like butterfly wings. Long fingers were combing soothingly through her hair and, finally coming to herself, she focused.

Sarah was laying on her side across the cold stones of the castle floor, which explained the chill seeping into her bones. Her head rested on something firm but with much more give than the stones – and much more warmth. Mouth dry and feeling heady from a long sleep, the young woman slowly rolled onto her back and squinted upward.

Sunlight blinded her and she had to turn her head away and blink against the brilliance until her green eyes adjusted. When she looked back, it was to meet the familiar gaze of the Goblin King. The sun was setting behind him and the light set his frost-blond hair aflame, casting a golden radiance around the Fae's ethereally beautiful face that was like a halo. Half-remembered stories of angels stirred about in Sarah's mind, and as she focused on Jareth's mismatched eyes she wondered if even Gabriel could ever hope to look half so beautiful.

Certainly he could never look half so wicked, as the gleam in the Goblin King's eyes and the slight twist of a smirk on his lips could never be interpreted as anything else, no matter how much angelic innocence the sunlight tried to cast him.

Truthfully, Sarah was not surprised to once again find the ruler of the Labyrinth in her dream. She _was_, however, surprised that she lay with her head in his lap, and that his gloved fingers were gently combing the tangles from her raven-dark tresses. Though her body ached from the cold stone tiles, and her cheek still burned from where it had rested against Jareth's leather-clad thigh, Sarah did not find herself to be in a particular hurry to scurry away from the smirking monarch.

The young woman felt lethargic and muddled; being so close to Jareth and in such a vulnerable position made her uneasy, but her limbs felt too heavy to move. A part of her _knew _she should scramble to her feet and take several steps back from the dangerous Fae; after all he _was – _or _had been_, she needed to keep reminding herself – an enemy, if that was the correct word for what he had been to her. In any case he had proven himself to be unpredictable, with more mood swings than Karen going through menopause and some unclear intentions toward Sarah's person that made the girl quite edgy.

But then there was a part of her that was content to stay where she was, danger or no. A part of her that luxuriated in being so close to the beautiful man, that was flattered by the careful attention he was paying her, and that purred like a kitten every time she felt his gloved fingers massage her scalp, or gently untangle another snag in her hair.

"Your timing, as always, is impeccable, Sarah," Jareth's melodious voice roused the young woman from her inner struggle. Her green eyes focused on the monarch's face. "To think, I was about to wake you with a kiss," he continued, a wicked smirk on his full lips.

"You _what_?" Sarah scowled, but could feel a blush hotly staining her cheeks. Jareth, of course, could _see_ the effect of his words by the pink stains and his grin widened.

"I thought it would be fitting," he purred, his fingers slowly twining through a lock of her hair, "to awaken the sleeping princess with a kiss." His eyes darkened as he gazed down on her, and Sarah felt her blush deepen as Jareth's voice dropped in timbre, "bestowing a kiss on one who is lost to a bespelled sleep always wakes them. That _is_ how it works in those childish stories you used to read, does it not?"

"_First_ of all," she blustered, feeling inexplicably embarrassed, "how do _you_ know what kind of stories I used to read?!"

Jareth smirked but remained silent, tugging playfully at her hair in lieu of an answer. Sarah glared, twisting about to get a better look at him. He chuckled at her fierce expression, which only angered her further.

"Secondly," she growled, "this is a dream. You can't wake someone up if you kiss them in a dream."

Jareth cocked an eyebrow, and grinned wickedly. Sarah's heart raced as she watched his dark, mismatched gaze settle on her lips.

"I say we ought to test that theory, precious." He purred sinfully, his golden head slowly bowing over hers. Sarah watched as if in a trance as his beautiful face neared hers. She felt his warm breath tickle against her mouth. Finally, she tilted her head away, her heart in her throat as she felt his lips barely brush against her cheek. He laughed softly and she could feel the vibrations of it against her skin.

Sarah blushed angrily, words tumbling thoughtlessly from her lips as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

"Anyway, those kinds of kisses only work if there's magic involved," She said petulantly. Jareth laughed again, and Sarah shivered as his lips brushed against her ear. She jerked away, eyes wide as she turned to stare uncertainly at him. He gazed back at her through his lashes, expression unreadable for a moment before he smirked.

"I assure you, _my _kisses are quite magical," he grinned saucily, mismatched eyes predatory as they followed her movements.

Being this close to him, Sarah found herself awash in _Jareth_. Everything that was the Goblin King. His spicy, wild scent surrounded her, and she could feel – or maybe hear? -- his magic buzzing and rushing just beneath his skin. Her vision was filled with the fiery reds of Jareth's elegant clothes, the alabaster glow of his skin, the gold of his hair, the flash of his blue and green eyes, the bone-white of his sharp teeth as he smiled, and the sparkle of the amulet that lay against his chest.

She had been too close to him for too long, Sarah decided. She slowly sat up, berating herself for not having moved away sooner. A painful tug against her scalp made her wince, and she saw that Jareth still held a lock of her hair in his ruby-gloved hand. He pulled gently at it like a leash, and, angrily, Sarah leaned toward him.

"Don't you wish to find out?" He asked silkily, eyes dark. Sarah recognized something in his gaze. She shifted uncomfortably.

"You... You're teasing me," Sarah accused, but she sounded uncertain. They gazed at each other, Sarah frowning, her green eyes dark and guarded.

Jareth smirked, the lock of her hair still wrapped around his fingers, not allowing her to move far from him. "Am I?" He inquired, voice velvet soft.

Sarah's brow furrowed and she felt her stomach twist nervously. "Aren't you...?" Her mouth was dry. The Goblin King laughed, and it was not a pleasant sound. His eyes flashed cruelly and he tugged her closer by her hair.

"You tell me, Sarah," he grinned, sharp teeth flashing dangerously, "after all, this is _your _dream, is it not?"

The dark-haired girl flushed angrily, reaching up to pull her her hair from his grasp.

"I don't have dreams like this!" She protested angrily, "I don't dream about you!"

Jareth snarled at her words, and their eyes met angrily. For a tense moment, his hand tightened and she didn't think he was going release the lock of hair that leashed her to his side. Her breath caught, and they stared at each other. Finally, the Goblin King released her dark tresses and he watched Sarah retreat from him, a calculating smile settling over his mouth.

As Sarah backed away, Jareth relaxed. He leaned carelessly back watching her and looking quite amused.

"Obviously, you do." He grinned cheekily.

Sarah glared, getting to her feet. They were atop one of the Castle Beyond's turrets, the sun a blaze of orange, purple, and gold as it set heavily in the distance over the Labyrinth. Jareth stood as well, the dying rays of the sun hitting him and making him shine like a garnet.

To Sarah, he looked like a devil in red. Carmine leather breeches that she knew to be soft, and ruby hued boots of a scaled beast she didn't recognize. She wouldn't be surprised if they were made of dragon hide. A loose, scarlet shirt with billowed poet sleeves was under a sleeveless vest, the same leather as his boots and unlaced, leaving much of his broad, pale chest exposed. His gloves were of identical material to his breeches, and his hands rested on his hips. He looked out over the Labyrinth, a contented smile on his face as he surveyed his kingdom.

"Was there someone else here?"

Jareth tilted his head at the young woman's question, his gaze shifting to rest on her. Sarah toed the ground uncertainly, but didn't balk under the Goblin King's attention.

"When I, uh... 'woke up'... I heard... voices."

The Fae continued to stare wordlessly at her.

"As in... More than one?" She licked her lips, beginning to feel a bit silly. "And I saw... the bottom of a dress..." She frowned at his continued silence. Frustrated, she glared at him. "Why don't you ever answer my questions?!"

Jareth turned fully toward her, his mouth quirked bitterly. "Sarah, often I do not _wish _to answer your questions. There is little need, anyway, since you are so very clever at answering them yourself."

Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "There _was _someone else here."

Jareth grinned, "There now, you see? You didn't really need my help at all to come to that conclusion."

Frustration overtook her and Sarah stomped like a child in a tantrum. "If you _have _someone else here, why don't you get _them_ to help you?!"

Jareth's eyes flashed dangerously and he gestured imperiously to Sarah, beckoning her closer. Stubbornly, Sarah planted her feet and glared challengingly back at him. The Goblin King cocked one winged eyebrow and, finally, stepped toward her.

He moved sinuously, his strides long and graceful as he began to circle her. "So brave, little girl, to continuously defy me at every turn." His eyes glowed like embers as they slid over her figure. There was something hungry and haunting in the way he looked at her. Sarah could feel a hot anger simmering in the air as he circled her once more before coming to a stop at the turret wall.

Jareth straightened his back and looked down his nose at her, eyes suddenly cold. Slowly, he stretched out a gloved hand, his voice soft and dangerous. "My patience grows thin, Sa-rah," he sang her name softly, then his tone grew brittle, "Come _here_, you willful child!"

Something dark in his mismatched eyes warned her that to fight would be tempting danger. Suddenly feeling meek, Sarah stepped forward, hesitantly taking his gloved hand. The Goblin King smirked victoriously, and pulled the young woman against his side.

Immediately, Sarah began to squirm as he tucked her against him, but he ignored her protests.

"Look out at my Labyrinth, Sarah," He commanded, holding her still against him. Grumbling, Sarah tried to ignore the way she was pressed against his side, or the heat she could feel radiating from him, hot as embers. She turned her green eyes out, gazing over the turrets.

"Oh..." She blinked.

"Oh?" Jareth questioned, gazing down at her dark head resting at his shoulder.

"It... It's... _whole_." There was no other way she could describe it. This was not the broken, decrepit Labyrinth that surrounded her in the waking world. This was the Labyrinth as she remembered it. _Alive_.

"This is the Labyrinth as it would be, had our last encounter gone differently."

Sarah looked up at him, frowning. "What do you mean?"

Jareth gazed stoically down at her. "Do you remember how your first journey through my Labyrinth ended?"

Sarah lifted her chin proudly, her voice steady as she looked him in they eye. "I defeated you."

The Goblin King's eyes darkened and his lips twisted bitterly. A cold wind howled around them, tugging furiously at Sarah's clothes and hair.

"You have no power over me," He shrilled, then glared at her. "Sound familiar, precious?"

Sarah cast about desperately in her memory, green eyes panicked, "But...! But, that was how the story went! I was just trying to get Toby back!"

Jareth turned and gripped her arms tightly, nearly shaking her, anger evident in his eyes and his voice. "You and your stories! You play them through without ever fully understanding! When you spoke those words you broke my magic, and with that the Labyrinth crumbled."

The dark-haired girl looked helplessly up at him, then turned back to the Labyrinth. The Fae king watched her, mismatched eyes gleaming brightly.

"Yes," he sneered, "So, the princess finally understands, does she? You are here to clean up _your_ mess."

"This... This isn't fair," She whispered miserably, "I didn't know..."

Jareth tilted his head, whispering softly into her ear as Sarah stared out over his kingdom. "Who is the villain in the story of the Dream Weaver King, precious?" The knife her heart twisted cruelly and she felt tears stinging at the corner of her eyes.

"I didn't know," she said plaintively, finally raising her eyes to his. He smirked, lips twisted upward in a bitter imitation of a smile.

"Yes you did, Sa-rah."

"Jareth, _please_," she whispered.

The use of his name gave them both pause. Sarah stiffened in his hold, and the Goblin King's cold gaze seemed to soften slightly. His grip on her arms loosened marginally and the cold wind that had been beating at them both died down. He regarded her quietly, the anger almost instantly vanishing from his face.

She refused to look him in the eye, so she did not see the distant longing there, but she heard the hunger in his voice.

"Please _what_, love?" He asked in a velvety whisper, his head bowing over hers. Sarah blinked back the tears and took a deep breath. It wasn't fair. Wasn't fair. And she couldn't _think_ with him hovering over her like this!

"Please... _Stop_," she begged, closing her eyes and silently wishing for the guilt that pained her heart to go _away_. How was she supposed to know that her words would have that kind of effect?

"You know I won't," He scoffed coolly. Finally, she lifted her eyes to his.

"Can I fix it?" She asked pleadingly, her green eyes wide and doe-like.

Jareth watched her carefully, and had she known him better she would recognize the calculating look in his eyes.

"Yes," He finally answered, "Else you would not be here. The Labyrinth wants to be healed, and has begun the process itself."

She frowned, canting her dark head to the side. "Then what do I do? How can I help?"

Jareth smiled. "There are several ways, I suppose... but the easiest would be to find me."

"I thought I was _already_ doing that," she huffed. The Goblin King smiled indulgently.

"Then I suggest you continue down the path which you are already on."

"Why don't you just tell me _where you are_?"

Jareth smirked. "I trust you'll find me all by yourself, Sarah. You are so very _good_ at solving the Labyrinth."

Frustrated, the young woman tried to twist out of his hold, green eyes flashing. "Ooooh! You're never any help at all!" Sarah cried childishly.

The Goblin King pulled her back to him, grinning, "You wound me, precious. What about the gift I provided you in the garden?"

Ceasing her struggle, Sarah looked up at him. "The tree. I _knew _that had to be you. The world isn't cruel enough to provide coincidental peaches!"

"This world is," Jareth murmured, gathering her against him. Uncomfortable being so close to the unpredictable monarch, the young woman pressed her hands against his chest, trying to keep some distance between them. The Goblin King smirked at the fruitless gesture, bowing his golden head close to hers.

"Now then, I believe it's time to test your theory, Sa-rah."

The champion frowned, "What are you –!" She had no time to protest as the Goblin King closed in.

Warm, soft lips encompassed hers in a gentle, insistent kiss. A fire and hunger fueled it, the dregs of a passion that threatened to overwhelm them both, Jareth's mouth trembling slightly against hers. As darkness rushed in to claim her, Sarah had only a moment to recognize a new fact about the Dream Weaver King that she hardly found surprising.

His kiss tasted of peaches.

* * *

Cue the eye rolls with the last line, will ya? Of course he tastes like peaches! What else would taste like? Pomegranates? Heh. Well. Maybe. Who's brushed on their Greek myths?!

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews so far, I think I must seriously have the best fans in the world. Keep 'em coming, please!

If you want to see more – or you add this fic to your alerts or favorites, PLEASE leave me a review telling me what you think. I want to know what you guys liked or didn't like. As any good author does, I'm always trying to improve my writing!

Stay tuned!


End file.
